Sunny Days
by DoeRaeMe
Summary: I guess I'm normal. I mean, as normal as a thirteen year old celebrity could be. But the thing is no one really knows I exist, and I'm not being dramatic. Most know me as the fictional baby with weird teeth. Yeah. That was me. I've changed a bit though...
1. The Second Beginning

**Hey people! Sunny's back! And I'm sorry, I know this has taken literally forever. But it'll speed up after the first chapter. I have about a billion alternate beginnings, but you don't care about that. So I'll shut up and give you what you really came here for...**

So this is me; almost thirteen, mini-celebrity, and completely confused, again. I'm confused about the way people go about doing things without really understanding whatthis whole life is about,and why "I love you"is such a hard thing to say. But as many confusing things as there are in this world, so many things make perfect sense.

I doubt there is anywhere else I would rather be than sitting in the branches of the old oak tree. About a month ago I would have rather been drooling over Evan. But now I've changed. Not that I'd rather be dating the tree, I still like Evan, a lot, but it was so peaceful and serene sitting up in the highest branches, reading or watching the busy world below, the shadows of the leaves dancing in the breeze. The tree happened to be in the park directly across from the mansion that I called home. I had discovered the oak's magic one day when I was searching for a quiet place to read. I had seen the tree from my bedroom window and decided to explore it. I had looked at it before, just never really saw it, until then. I remembered that day. It had been a week or so ago. Evan was on vacation and I was trying my best to enjoy the last few days of summer vacation.

I sighed and smiled, thankful that I had found such a wonderful place. I practiced writing poetry like Isadora had taught me. I bit thoughtfully on my pencil and watched figures walk along the street. The gentle breeze made the leaves rustle softly. I suddenly thought of something.

_This quiet, beautiful tree is heaven_

_Where I can sit and think about_

I frowned, staring at what I had just written in my commonplace book. I erased it and closed the notebook. I continued to watch the busy people below until I discovered a branch, almost completely covered in carvings of pairs of initials in hearts. Most were wearing away and growing a thin layer of moss. I read them to myself:

_B.L. and T.B._

_P.R. and G.Q._

_F.N. and L.R._

_V.B. and Q.Q._

I stopped,

_V.B and Q.Q._

It had to be…but I was the only one in my family who knew about that tree. I pondered the idea and soon gave up. But something distracted me from my thoughts: a piece of folded up paper was tucked between two other branches. I reached up to grab it but my hand knocked it onto the sidewalk below.

"Damn it," I murmured and quickly covered my mouth, surprised at what words had just come out. But I laughed as I realized no one else was around. I climbed down the tree and walked to where the paper had fallen. I picked it up and was about to open it when something shot past me so fast that my hair blew in a mess around my face. I stared after whatever it was and noticed it was someone on a bike. I was about to glare, until the person turned and smiled.

"Evan!" I shouted and ran towards him, stuffing the folded paper into my pocket.

"Hey, Sunny," he said climbing off the bike.

I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"We came home early," he said, "my mom's work wanted her back and…and I missed you"

I just about melted.

"I missed you too," I said, "it's been _so_ boring here."

"Really?" he said walking his bike as I walked beside him.

"Yeah," I said, "I'm almost wish school would start sooner. Then we could see each other every day." I added

"You know what?" he asked

"No. What?"

"You're messing up my entire life," he sighed

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked defensively

"No, I mean in a good way. I've never-I mean… I- never mind."

"I know what you mean," I said softly and grabbed his hand.

I woke up on the morning of the first day of school with mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness. Either way, I was up way before I was supposed to. I got up, got dressed, and stood in the bathroom fixing my hair.

I walked to school with Ellie. We excitedly compared schedules and found that we had two out of six classes together.

"Not bad," Ellie shrugged.

"Science, P.E., English… History, math, Home Ec.," I recited carefully, resisting the temptation to peek at the schedule in my hand.

When we arrived at school, a wave of recollection crashed over me. The most popular girls were grouped around each other, screeching, hugging and showing off their new outfits, the nerds were already swapping trading cards they had collected over the summer, and there was a few guys including Grant Parson, Dylan Birch, and Evan standing and not saying much to each other. It was a great contrast between the squealing greetings of the girls and the manly grunts of the boys. I hurried over to Evan and tugged on his empty backpack. He spun around and faced me for an awkward moment. I didn't know what to do or say.

"Um, hi Sunny," he said

"Hi," I said staring into his green eyes. I saw Dylan sneer out of the corner of my eye.

First period was science with Mr. Benson. He was a tall, skinny, balding man

"Welcome to first period, seventh grade biology, so if you don't belong here, please leave." He said. A few people laughed at the thought of getting classes mixed up, but a small, bright red girl stood up. Everyone watched as she headed for the door. Mr. Benson stopped her.

"What are you looking for, then?" he asked

"Um," she trembled, "I'm in sixth grade…"

"Yes," Mr. Benson said calmly, "but what's the class."

"Um, it says Avery," said the sixth grader peering at her schedule

I had had Mrs. Avery last year. I smiled as Mr. Benson directed the girl to the proper classroom.

"Remember, it's J203," he called out as the sixth grader walked away with a late pass.

Second period was P.E. with Mr. Perez, third was English with Mrs. Fosters, or so I thought. I rushed to her class, which wasn't anywhere near the rest of my classes. A bunch of people I didn't know were filing into the classroom when I got there. Most of them were a lot taller than me, which usually wasn't that much of a big deal. But as I pulled up a seat in the back a very tall boy with spiky brown hair turned in his seat to face me.

"Are you like a sixlet or something?" he asked

"No," I said, wondering if his hair could pop a balloon, "I'm in seventh grade."

He snorted, "Then, you must be smart or something, cause this is an eighth grade class."

I felt my face getting hot and I looked around the room. It _was _an eighth grade class.

"No, I'm not smart- well, I am but-" I stammered

"Yeah," the boy said, "You need to tell the teacher, or something."

I hid my face in my hands "This is bad," I said in a muffled voice.

"What?" he asked, and without waiting for an answer he said, "Fine, I'll do it,"

I looked up from my hands to see the boy with his hand in the air.

The bell rang and everyone settled into their seats. The boy's hand was still up.

I was about to object, not wanting any more attention, but Mrs. Fosters gestured towards his hand.

"Uh, we have a seventh grader in this class," he said pointing at me, and Mrs. Fosters looked a bit annoyed.

She gestured for me to come up and pairs of eighth grade eyes followed me as I walked to the front of the room.

Mrs. Fosters looked at my schedule and sent me to the office.

"By the way," the boy said as I got up from my desk, "my name's Jack."

"Thanks a lot, Jack," I said somewhat bitterly

A couple people laughed as I walked out of the room and I suddenly felt bad for laughing at the sixth grader in Mr. Benson's class.

"Yes, yes," said Mr. Julius, the vice principal, "We have you in Ms. Dean's class in your file, there must have been some mistake when your schedule was printed."

I sat across from him at his desk in the front office. He handed me a pink slip of paper and signed it in fancy handwriting. I walked to Mrs. Dean's class and pushed open the door, double checking the room number. As soon as the door opened, about thirty heads turned to face the door and Mrs. Dean stopped talking. I looked around the room, to find myself feeling like I'd rather go back to Mrs. Fosters. The walls were covered with posters that said things like "Wanted: Terrible actor with one eyebrow and a suspicious tattoo…" or "Vaguely Familiar Dread" and pictures of a girl with a ribbon in her hair, or a boy with glasses and a book, or a baby with a spatula. Even Mrs. Dean was wearing a shirt that said, "Run, Orphans, Run!". I walked towards the front of the room with a knot in my stomach the size of a small dog. I pushed my schedule and the pink slip forward and Mrs. Dean signed the pink paper but stopped at the schedule.

"Sunny Baudelaire?" she asked incredulously and I gave a weary sigh and nodded. Her eyes widened and she pointed wordlessly at a seat in the front row. I walked over to the desk and more people stared, obviously assuming that I had done something. I was hoping that the floor would open and I could fall through. I sat at the desk and the class faced Mrs. Dean expectantly. But she just stood in the front of the room staring directly at me. She finally spoke:

"Sunny Baudelaire," she repeated, "any relation…?"

"Yes," I said plainly

"My, my, Sunny Baudelaire. In _my _class!" she gushed

I glanced at the floor, praying for something, anything, that would get me out of that class. Usually, no one really noticed, or else they didn't care that I am a not-so-fictional-character. Because, although the books are somewhat popular, without reading them, I'm really nobody special.

Mrs. Dean shot another glance at me, and went on with introducing the class. With all that going on I didn't noticed Evan, who was sitting in the row behind me. After that lovely incident, I made my way to history with Ms. Remors, a rather uneventful class that I shared with Ellie, then to a well needed lunch break. I met up with Ellie and we sat in the amphitheatre, where we weren't allowed last year. Brooke Nolan, a girl Ellie and I had known since primary school, came over and we greeted each other.

"Sunny," she said pulling me in so others couldn't hear us, "Are you really going out with Evan Michels?"

I nodded.

"Omigod!" Brooke squealed, "How'd it happen?"

I told her everything that had happened over the summer and we got into a whole conversation about the past summer that got me really wishing it was still summer. We were right in the middle of hearing about Brooke's cruise ship vacation when Evan rushed over.

"Hey, Sunny," He said sitting down next to me as Brooke gave an involuntary squeal

"Hi," I said, "Brooke- Evan, Evan- Brooke" I introduced them.

"Hi," said Evan and Brooke blushed and pushed her blond hair out of her face.

"Hi, Evan," she said

"I wonder how much longer lunch is," Ellie said

But before anyone could answer, the bell rang and we said good-bye to Brooke and headed to class.

After Lunch was Mr. Ivan's math class, which seemed like it was going to be an annoying bore, Ellie was in that class too, and finally to Home Ec. with Mrs. Rhubarb, the same teacher I had the previous year. And when the bell finally rang, it seemed like it had been several light-years, instead of just six hours. I walked lugging my almost empty backpack that felt like it was filled with heavy weights as well as the weight of what was going to be a long, hard year. But something deep inside me told me that things were going to be different- maybe better- than last year.

**Ok. You like? Please review and I'll be your new best friend!**


	2. Pigtails and Other Humorous Things

**Here's your chapter two- good, clean, and fresh from the can! Yummy. **

When the name Sunny Baudelaire comes to a person's mind most people think of a cute, talking baby who likes to cook and bite things. There are few people in this world who think of the person I am today. I am not a baby. Ironic, that was one of my first sentences. And I don't doubt I will be saying it for the rest of my life. I said it when I started preschool and Violet got all teary-eyed, I said it when I convinced Klaus to take the training wheels off my bike, I screamed it on my tenth birthday, and I argued it when Klaus decided started disagreeing with Violet about the fact that I was dating Evan. He still hasn't changed his mind on the subject.

He anger and over-protectiveness got really out of hand on the second day of school. Ellie had a dance class directly after school and Evan and I went back to the mansion where we were supposed to be doing homework (another surprising thing about seventh grade) in the library. We had our books and everything we just hadn't really gotten around to actually finishing the work. Sooner or later, Klaus walked in on us kissing behind a bookshelf.

"Sunny Baudelaire!" he shouted and Evan and I broke apart.

I stood there, waiting, not knowing whether to defend myself or run. The old fight or flight, the instant animal instinct, like a crow being pursued by an eagle.

"What are doing?" Klaus hissed, his face beat red

I froze.

"I- we were-" I stuttered then my confidence rose, "can't you tell what we were doing?"

Klaus stared at me for an intense moment.

"What are you freaking out for?" I asked angrily

"You shouldn't be doing that!" he shot back

"I don't see a problem, Evan _is_ my boyfriend! And since when do _you_ tell me what I should and shouldn't do?"

"Since the judge acknowledged me as your legal guardian"

"Not exactly," I retorted, "You're nothing but a _secondary_ guardian. And for the last time, I'm not a baby!"

I pushed past Klaus, dragging Evan by the wrist with me.

"Violet!" I shouted over the top of the stairs, "Klaus is being paranoid!

"What?" Violet called back from her workshop

"Klaus is being paranoid!" I repeated as Klaus came from the library

I rushed down the spiral staircase, still gripping Evan's wrist in my hand. I stopped at Violet.

"Klaus is all mad for no reason," I said to Violet

"Violet, if you would have seen the pair of them," Klaus said

"Wait, slow down," Violet said calmly, "what happened?"

"I was with Evan in the library and Klaus comes barging in and starts screaming at me!" I said all in one breath

"What do you mean _with_ Evan?" Violet asked as Klaus opened his mouth to whine about it.

"Well, we were, you know, kissing," I said hastily as my face burned, "But that's not the point, it's none of Klaus's business to come shrieking at us!"

"Violet, if you would have seen them, I'm not lying," Klaus griped

"Evan, why don't you head home, we'll see you another time," Violet said gently

"Uh, then, um, bye Sunny, see you tomorrow" Evan said uneasily

Once Evan had left Violet turned to Klaus.

"Klaus, I think you're overreacting a bit," Violet reasoned

"That's the understatement of the century," I muttered

"You shush," She said turning to me, "you're overreacting almost as much as he is."

Violet settled things as usual but Klaus was careful to keep watch over Evan and I from then on.

The nice thing about the first week of school was that it was only two days long, because the first day of school fell on a Thursday. So that Saturday night Ellie and Evan came over to the mansion. We stayed in and sat on the floor of one of the three bonus rooms, as Ellie and I tried to get Evan to let us give him a mohawk. But, he wouldn't, so we gave him pigtails instead. We tied two purple ribbons in his hair so that two tufts of dark brown hair stuck up on each side of his head. Ellie and I stood back and admired our work, then rolled on the floor, laughing hysterically.

"You look- pretty!" Ellie gasped, weak from laughing

"You wait," Evan warned, trying not to laugh himself.

"Sorry, Evan, but you don't look that threatening!" I chortled, trying to stop laughing to take a breath. Evan cracked a smile.

When the laughing finally died, it was silent.

"I should've gone for the mohawk." Evan murmured.

My face was hot and sore from smiling. Evan still had the ribbons in his hair. I leaned over, undid them, and kissed him.

"Oh, _please_," Ellie groaned, "It was so funny and you two have to make it gross."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said sarcastically, "I forgot that you have a very strict P.D.A. rule."

"P.D.A.?" Evan asked

"Public Display of Affection," Ellie said briskly, "but no, I don't mind you snogging in my face, go ahead."

I was about to get angry, but I already had enough on my mind, and the last thing I needed was a fight with Ellie. Besides, she _did_ have a point.

"Fine," I said mockingly, "Darn you, Evan, no more making-out in public!"

This sent the three of us into another fit of laughter.

"Sorry, Ellie," I said seriously, "can't help it."

"She can't," agreed Evan with a grin, "I'm irresistible."

"You're both weird," Ellie said, but she was grinning as well.

"Anybody want desert?" a voice said. Isadora poked her head into the room.

We turned and nodded with a chorus of "Yeah,"

Everyone, the Quagmires, and my siblings, Violet who was twenty-five, and Klaus who was twenty-three, greeted Evan and Ellie and we sat for a bowl of strawberry ice cream. The two family dogs, Francis and Harry, stood close to the kitchen table, hoping that some dessert would come their way.

Klaus kept eying Evan and I, making sure we didn't start randomly kissing in between bites. Trust me, I wasn't thinking anything of the sort. The thing about Klaus was that he was extremely overprotective of his sisters, probably because he never actually had a real girlfriend. Violet was much more lenient on the matter- more proof: she was currently going out with Quigley Quagmire, and had been since she was about fifteen. Their ten year anniversary was on October something-or-other, all I knew is that it was somewhere near my thirteenth birthday, which was on October 18th.

Duncan Quagmire was another triplet and the most annoying one out of the three. Duncan reached over the table for the ice cream, but Isadora slapped his hand away.

"What?" he whined

"That's, like, your fifth helping," Isadora said

"So," Duncan said, pushing her hand out of the way, "we practically live here, and since when do I have to listen to you?"

Isadora stared at him and raised her eyebrows. Duncan retreated with a sigh.

"You seriously need to grow up," Quigley said

"Very unlikely," I mumbled and Duncan narrowed his eyes, but kept quiet.

I woke up on Sunday morning with Francis sound asleep at the foot of my bed. I climbed out of bed.

"Francis," I whispered but she didn't budge, "Francie,"

One eye opened and she looked shot me an annoyed look but heaved herself off the bed. She followed close behind as I tiptoed down the stairs, careful not to wake anyone so early. I walked into the kitchen and passed the living room on the way. Violet was asleep on the sofa with her head on Quigley's shoulder and Harry snoring at her feet. They had apparently been watching something rather interesting on TV, because, usually, Violet is a very light sleeper and prefers her own bed. But what do I know? Violet has also been known to change herself for Quigley. Just like, she had told me this about a billion times, how she turned down her friend Ben when he asked her out when she was thirteen, because she was too busy for boys.

"I'd have had no time to do anything between school, inventing, and Ben," she always says, "I don't want you getting too caught up in dating…"

Maybe she just started dating Quigley because she was older then, but she has made other changes for him. Not that that's bad or anything. She really loves him, and she'll do anything to keep him. Not that he'd ever leave her, he's about as crazy for her as she is for him. I take great interest in other people's business.

Apparently, all three Quagmires had stayed the night. Isadora was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea clutched between her hands.

"Hey," I said casually, "did you sleep over?"

"Stupid question, Sunny," she said, then pausing to take a sip of her dark tea, "but I wouldn't say I actually slept for more than an hour."

"You didn't sleep good?" I asked pouring myself a bowl of cereal.

"Eh, no," she shrugged, "just thinking about…things."

"Oh," it was quiet for a few minutes as I searched the refrigerator, "No milk?"

"Behind the orange juice," Isadora said smartly

I grabbed the milk, "You're here too often."

"Yeah, well you're coming over to my place for a change," she said picking a few pieces of cereal from the box, "you are having dinner at _Le House of Quagmire_."

"You're gonna cook?" I asked doubtingly

"No," Isadora scoffed, "I can't make anything for the life of me. We're probably gonna order pizza or something."

"Lovely," I said as Violet walked into the kitchen, "because I heard, when it comes to cooking you _Le suck_…"

Isadora and I stared as Violet sat at the table with a weird grin on her face.

"What?" Isadora asked

"What?" Violet said as her grin faded

"Why are you so happy?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Violet glanced over at me, then her smile reappeared as if she couldn't resist telling, "Ok, you know how Quigley and I are having our ten year anniversary,"

Isadora and I nodded

"That's _ten_ years," Violet continued

Isadora and I nodded again.

"A _decade_,"

"Just tell us," Isadora said eagerly

"I think he's going to…propose." Violet said hurriedly

"Really?" I said

"Yes, I was going to ask him last night, that's why I agreed to staying downstairs to watch some boring movie with him," Violet explained "but we both ended up falling asleep, so I gave up on that idea…"

Duncan walked into the kitchen and Violet trailed off. He yawned groggily and helped himself to breakfast. He sat down across from us wordlessly.

"_Ahem_," Isadora coughed and Duncan looked up from his breakfast.

"Oh," he mumbled, "hi, ladies…_and Sunny_." He said the last part under his breath so only I could hear him.

I glared and kicked him under the table. He then attempted to say either a comeback or "ow" but he gagged on his cornflakes instead.

Soon Quigley and Klaus came to breakfast. The rest of the day went on slowly, like it normally does on Sundays. We had a healthy dinner of _Le pizza_ at the Quagmire mansion and came home late. I was surprisingly looking forward to the next day at school. I had a feeling that something good might happen, that could change the entire year.

**Is Sunny right about the coming Monday? Maybe. You gonna have to wait- unless of course you're reading this a long time away from now, then yay for you! And yay for book the twelfth! Keep those reviews coming! More apologies for taking forever to write this! Yeah, funny, because nothing really important happens in this chapter, but it's still only the second one, which counts as the beginning. right?**


	3. My Unfinished Words of Confusion

**This chapter wins the prize for shortness, but it kind of sets the whole story. El chaptero tres. Enjoyo**.

The sky was bright, and a sharp, piercing blue. I could see green long vivid green grass surrounding me. It felt like I was lying on the grass but I didn't feel its scratchiness. I turned my head in the blinding sunlight to see Evan lying next to me. I reached out but there was nothing. Suddenly it was pitch black and the field scene dissolved around me and a loud siren buzzed in my ear.  
"Evan!" I cried, "Evan! Someone!"

I t was silent and dark.

"No!" I said and I opened my eyes to see my room around me and sighed in relief. But my relief soon turned to unhappiness again when I realized that it was Monday. My eyes darted to the alarm clock hopefully wishing I had more time to sleep.

"No," I muttered when I saw that the clock read eight o'clock. I had overslept and felt like closing my eyes again and forgetting about school. Then, the feeling of anticipation I had the night before came back and I was eager to get to school.

The same feeling stuck with me all morning and I found it hard to concentrate. I explained my troubles to Ellie at lunch break.

"And it didn't help that this new kid behind me in English kept making me laugh," I said

"What new kid?" Ellie asked

"I dunno, he had a weird name, it was like Phineus, or something," I said, "no, Finnegan, that was it."

"Finnegan?" Ellie said and her face lit up, "I knew a Finnegan, we were friends until he moved in third grade."

"Then I came in fourth," I said remembering my first day at the school

"What was his last name?" Ellie asked

"Um, Thomas, I think," I said

"Oh, I think it _is_ him!" Ellie said wistfully

The bell rang and Ellie and I continued talking on the way to math. And I walked out of the class with another homework assignment to add to my list. I saw Ellie off to Drama class and headed to the Home Ec. room. We always spent about half the year sewing and working on babysitting skills, then the other half cooking. We started the year with sewing and I always ended up with pinpricks on the tips of my fingers. After enduring several more, trying to sew the button eyes on the stuffed turtle I was working on, the final bell rang and I met with Ellie who was close to bursting with news.

"I-saw-him-and-its-him-and-he-is-so-great-and-I want you to meet him!" she said all in one breath

"Okay," I agreed, "So he definitely is the Finnegan you knew?"

"Defiantly," Ellie said breathlessly, "he's in my Drama class, _please_, I want you to meet him."

"I did already, remember? I will tomorrow,"

"No, _now_,"

"Fine, where is he?"

"He went to his locker, but- there he is!" Ellie pointed across a crowd of people who began traveling homeward. I saw him for the second time. He was tall, with reddish-brown hair that fell across his face. He saw Ellie and a smile appeared on his face and he waved. Ellie rushed over, faced him, and took his hands in hers.

"Finn," Ellie said coyly, looking at him behind her long hair she turned to me, "This is my best friend, Sunny," she was still staring at Finn.

"Hey," Finnegan said smiling at me

"Uh, hi," I said, more confused than ever. Ellie could usually be considered boy-crazy, but it was always over some celebrity or her older brother's friend. But as she and Finn stared and talked to each other in a strange sort of language, and I stood watching, I was both shocked and nauseous. From the way Ellie talked about him, Finn seemed like just a good friend, but that idea fell to pieces in less than five minutes flat.

"See you tomorrow," Ellie said flirtingly, and let go of his hands.

Finn just smiled and flipped his hair out of his eyes.

I wanted to say something to Ellie about what had just happened, but I didn't feel like ruining her good mood. But when I got home and started thinking about it, my anger built up. After I finished my homework, I called Evan to tell him about it, since he took the bus on Mondays and missed the drama.

"And she goes over and starts getting all shy and they're both flirting, it was disgusting," I said

"She was probably just excited about him being here," Evan reasoned

"Yeah, well, she didn't exactly tell me she was even interested in him."

"Maybe she changed her mind, I dunno."

"Why are you on her side?" I asked indignantly

"I'm not on anyone's side, I'm just saying,"

It was quiet for a few seconds but I could hear Evan breathing.

"I'm sorry," he said and my heart almost broke from all the emotions welled up inside of it.

"No, you're probably right," I sighed, "it's just Ellie's _so_ not being herself around him and it just bugs me."

"It's okay," Evan said softly

I wanted to say something. "I love you," would have been perfect, but saying those three words scared me to death. There has to be a word for the feeling between _like_ and _love_. But there was nothing.

"Um, Evan?" I said preparing myself

"Sunny, I've got to go, ok?" Evan said, "See you tomorrow."

"Evan," I began, but there was nothing except the tone that meant he had hung up, "I love you." I said, and put the phone down.

**So everyone that reviewed gets a chocolate chip pumpkin cookie. Some certain person gets two (Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Wink. Wink.). And as you enjoy your cookie(s) remember why you have it in the first place and review! They make me happy. And happy me more story happy you, unless you hate my story, then in that case, no cookie for you!**


	4. I've Got Headaches and Bad Luck

**Took forever, didn't I? Sorry about that. Hope you like this super size chappie. And I hope you had a yummy turkey day!**

_Literature character and local celebrity Sunny Baudelaire is finally all grown up. The youngest orphan from Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events has been seen with a certain young gentleman a number of times. Could there be a romantic connection between the wealthy orphan and this boy? "They both look like my mother," comments a random local when asked about the two. Below are photographs further proving this theory._

I studied the printed pictures.

"How did they get these?" I asked pointing angrily at the photographs, "I had no idea anyone was taking a picture."

One of them was of Evan and I at the roller rink that summer. The caption below read, "Could young Sunny be smitten?"

"_Smitten_?" I said, "who cares if I'm _smitten_ or not?"

"Lots of people," Violet answered taking a sip of her tea.

"And they don't even mention us," Isadora said indignantly, "They never do."

I threw the newspaper down on to the table and sighed.

"Well, you know, sooner or later they had to find out," Violet said

"Yeah, I know," I said, "but _smitten_?"

Isadora grabbed the newspaper and whacked me on the head.

So far the school year went on as usual. It was already October 15th and I was eagerly anticipating my thirteenth birthday. The following Monday to that Saturday would be exactly a month since school had started. And truth was, I _was_ smitten, no matter how much I hate that word.

I headed up the stairs and into my room, still wearing pajamas, even though it was close to noon. As soon as I walked in my phone rang and I quickly answered it, stumbling over my long pajama pants.

"Hello," I said lifting myself off the floor with one hand and holding the phone with the other.

"Sunny?" said the voice I recognized to be Finn's

"That's my name," I breathed, wresting with cord that was trying to constrict my foot.

"Do we have any English homework?" he asked

"Not that I know of," I said, finally untangling the cord.

"Okay. That's all," he said

"I told you," a familiar voice said in the background

"Quiet," said another, "she'll hear you."

"Why are Ellie and Evan there?" I asked Finn

"Um, I gotta go," he replied hurriedly, "Bye."

I hung up the phone, still as puzzled as ever. I hadn't spoke to Evan or Ellie since that Thursday, since we had Friday off for some kind of teacher meeting. Things with Ellie and Finn were going okay, they usually had nothing but a friendly attitude towards each other, but that was when I was around them, who knows how they were when they were alone. But I wasn't trying to find out. So I left the matters of Ellie and Finn alone. There was no need to put fuel on the fire.

I tried calling Brooke. No answer, so I left a message.

"Hey, Brooke, where are you? Where's anybody? I think Evan and Ellie are at Finn's. Either that or everyone's ignoring me. Call me."

Later, I sat, flipping through an old magazine and absentmindedly fiddling with my light brown, wavy hair.

"Sunny," Violet called

"Huh?" I said

"Isadora and I are leaving, are you coming?"

I walked over to wear Violet was standing by the front door

"Where're you going?" I asked

"Shopping," Isadora said, smiling

"Okay, I'll go," I said

We left and I argued with Violet about taking Francis along with us. I reluctantly put her back in the house and we walked to the shops that were not too far from the mansion. We took shortcuts through alleyways and around buildings. After living in almost everyplace you could think of, various houses, a lumber mill, boarding school, a penthouse, a village, a hospital, a carnival, the very top of a mountain, a submarine, a hotel, and a few other places, the only place I felt at home was this very city. It was where I was born and lived for a small portion of my life, then returned a few times, and now finally settled and stayed. I had a sort of bittersweet connection with the place. The winding roads and varied historical buildings brought about a solemn pleasure that was incomparable to anything I had ever felt before.

So as we walked among the shops and boutiques that lined the cracked, gray asphalt, I took in every moment of that day.

"You like these?" Isadora said, modeling a pair of worn cowboy boots though the tiny thrift shop we were investigating.

"If you plan on going to a rodeo," I said searching through a large amount of old clothes

"And what if I am?" she retorted looking at the price tag, "they're cheap, might as well…"

"Izzy, hand me that skirt over there," Violet said poking her head from the dressing room and pointing to a row of hanging clothes. Isadora gave her the skirt and continued her search through the piles of clothes.

"You know we really don't have to be shopping here," she said making a face at a garishly colored shirt.

"Whaddya mean?" I asked

"Do you seriously think this is where _heiresses_ shop?" she responded

"Um, I guess not," I had never really thought of myself as an _heiress_. It seemed like such a glamorous title, nothing I would ever call myself. And there was the fact that Isadora had said we could've shopped somewhere else. I had always known we were rich, just never thought of actually using the money. It seemed almost ungracious to our parents to spend their money.

"Don't get ideas into her head," Violet warned. Isadora half-rolled her eyes and smiled.

"But you're probably right," Violet admitted emerging from the dressing room, "I can't find anything here."

I decided to not dwell on the matter. We continued shopping and I found a few pieces I liked. I had completely forgotten about my friends ignoring me. Those moments, and that weekend felt like it was slipping away and I barely had time to hold on to it and enjoy it. And that was the bitter half of the bittersweet day.

I got home and we admired and reconsidered our purchases. I soon after left on my bike to Ellie's house, determined to find out where she had been. I rang the doorbell and her mother answered, and told me that she had been at Finn's all day. I quickly thanked her, and rode a few blocks over to Finn's house. His older sister answered the door. She directed mo to Evan's house. And you can probably figure out what happened when I reached his house. I had never been to Brooke's house before so, since the mansion close by, I went in got a glass of water and flipped through the school directory, discovering that her house was not too far away. I would have given up by then had it not been for my stubbornness and want to make all four of them pay for making me go all that way. When I finally did get to Brooke's, I was about to knock when I saw a note tucked into the knob, "Come in," I read

I opened the door to see no one, not even Brooke. I looked around again, thinking that I heard someone.

"Brooke!" a small voice called, "Where are you, Brooke?"

A small girl who looked about five or six skipped into the front room. She had thin, light brown hair and bangs that hung into her eyes. She looked like Brooke, only tinier and with darker hair.

"Have you seen my sister?" she asked me, pointing a tiny finger at me

"Um, no, I haven't?" I said, "Do you know if Brooke's here?"

"Nuh-uh, Brooke's hiding, I think." She looked around

There was an odd moment with me standing there with the girl.

"Who are you?" she asked suddenly staring at me with intense puzzlement.

"I'm Sunny, Brooke's friend." I said

"Oh," said the girl, "I'm Sarah Lynn Nolan, but you can call me Scout."

She extended a tiny hand and I reached down to shake it.

"Is Brooke your sister?" I asked

"Yup," she shook her long bangs out of her face

"Is anyone else home?" I asked

Scout shrugged, "I think Ben's here."

"Ben?"

"My brother."

"Brooke never said she had a brother, or a sister, come to think of it,"

"Ben's getting his agree in college. He's only home for this weekend," Scout sat down on the stairs, "And she probably just forgot 'bout me."

I sat down next to her on the stairs.

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm the youngest, so people forget me lots," she paused, "but it's not nothin' to be sad about."

"I'm the youngest too," I said and it was quiet

I hadn't yet realized how strange it was to be talking to this girl and completely understanding everything she was saying.

"How old are you?" I asked

"Almost seven," Scout said, "in January. How old are you?"

"Almost thirteen," I said and I then found the oddities of my situation, "in three days. You're small for you age."

"Not particularly," she replied looking at me, "You are, though."

"I happen to be 5'1"," I said resentfully

Scout rolled her eyes and we both laughed

Suddenly the front door knob turned. I remembered why I was there in the first place.

Brooke walked in, not noticing Scout or me.

"As long as you don't mention it, she'll probably forget it" Brooke was saying to someone as they walked in, "Sunny's like that…Oh! Hi Sunny, what are you doing here?" Ellie came in followed by Evan and Finn, all staring at me as they came in. Ellie held a shopping bag behind her back.

"I was waiting for you," I said somewhat bitterly

"Yeah, well we were kinda busy," Ellie said

"No it's fine," I said, a bit hurt by her rudeness, "I'll go if you want me to."

"No," Evan said, "We're not busy anymore, so, you know, you can stay."

He reached to help me up from the stairs. I stared for a second, and he smiled down at me. I took his hand and returned the smile.

By that time the sun was low over the harbor. Evan, Brooke, Ellie, Finn, and I walked to the nearby pier. The wind was blowing and the sky was a smoky reddish peach, like an extinguished fire. We wandered into a disguise shop trying on various hats and masks.

"Here, try this," Ellie said wearing a wide rimmed feathery red hat

I put the hat on and looked in the mirror.

It was giant and had a phrase written in large yellow letters. I attempted to read in the mirror:

"Sunny days lie just behind the clouds."

It had a picture just above the phrase of a smiling sun with sunglasses on. It was completely ugly, but the phrase was beautiful and eerily familiar. I couldn't think of a time when I would ever wear it, so I put it back. The five of us continued trying on hats until the owner chased us out yelling something about "hoodlums" and "making a mess of his shop". We lined along the edge of the pier, leaning against the weathered wooden rail and stared out into the sea as the last few drops of sunlight faded to the deepest blue.

"I've been thinking," I said, "It's strange how different everything is."

"Like what?" asked Evan, who was standing next to me

"I don't know, just everything," I paused, "since last year."

"I guess it has," Finn agreed glancing at Ellie

"I mean it's just one more year of middle school," I continued, "and then what?"

"High school," Ellie sighed

"Exactly," I said, "and I'm not sure if we're all going to the same one."

"I know I'm not," Brooke said, "I'm moving right after eighth grade."

"And who knows where I'm going," I mused, "Klaus wants to put me in a private school."

It was quiet as the wind blew across the water.

"But that's not for a while," Evan said, "all we have is now."

"We have each other," I said.

"We do," Evan agreed

I woke up a few days later with a large yawn and someone standing over me.

When the image of the person became clearer I shouted in surprise and threw the blanket over my head.

"Evan, what're you doing here?" I said groggily, "Please leave. I have morning hair, which you are not supposed to see."

"But don't you know what day it is?"

"Oh," I said just realizing that it happened to be my birthday

"You don't sound too excited," he said

"Yay," I said mockingly, poking my hands out from under the blanket and waving them mock-happily.

"C'mon," he said pulling my hands and placing a small sunflower in one

I stood up and walked towards my bedroom door.

"Happy birthday, Sunny," he said grinning

"Thanks for the flower, Evan, but I've got to change, so you've got to leave," I said pushing him out into the hall and shutting the door behind him.

I rushed downstairs after getting ready to find breakfast made and an unwrapped cardboard package set on the kitchen table.

It had my name written on it in large black letters. I rushed to open it, digging through the crumpled newspaper to find stacks of books each labeled with a different country. After studying the cover I saw the name "Lemony Snicket" and immediately recognized the three children in the illustration. I then shuffled through the books and found the Japanese covers my favorite, mostly because each one had an emphasis on me.

"Good morning, Sunny" Violet said walking into the room rubbing her eyes and yawning, "happy birthday. Oh, hi Evan. What brings you here so early?" she paused "You did just come this morning didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did," Evan said quickly

"Who's this from?" I asked holding up the box.

"I'm not sure, Klaus said it was at the doorstep when he left for work."

"Oh," I said disappointedly

Violet yawned again.

"Sleep much?" I asked

"No," she sighed, "I've been working on this one design for this machine-but today's not about me. It's your thirteenth birthday." She smiled as much as a person who had only three hours of sleep could, "I remember my thirteenth birthday. That was when I got Harry." The overweight golden retriever looked up at the sound of his name.

"He's older than me then," I said

"What happened when there was the fire?" Evan asked

"We thought he was lost with everything else," Violet said

"But a few years ago he came back to us," I continued

Violet yawned, "Stop it Violet, you're making me tired." I said, failing to stifle a yawn of my own.

"I can't help it," she argued, "but you are going to be late unless you get your birthday butt out of here."

"Ok, ok," I said giving Violet a hug and then making my way to school with Evan.

"I can't believe you're older than me, I'm not thirteen till March." Evan said as we walked.

"Why is it so hard to believe?" I asked

"I dunno," he said looking down at me and smiling, "you're short."

Evan wasn't exceptionally tall, but he was quite a bit taller than me.

"I know," I said. I stood on my tiptoes so I was almost his height, "that better?"

He smiled the same slow, shy smile that made me melt. I returned to my original height and when we were on campus, Ellie found us almost immediately. She ran over, handed me a brightly colored bag and stuck a plastic tiara in my mess of a ponytail. I soon untied the mystery of that Saturday when I was presented with gifts and learned that my friends had spent that day planning my birthday and buying gifts.

The rest of the day seemed completely normal, aside from getting another "happy birthday" every second. I started thinking about it during math. _I'm thirteen_, I thought, _no longer a child, but a blossoming young woman._ The thought seemed odd. Usually, it felt like I was growing up too slow, but at that moment I realized just how fast my life was going by. Just one year ago I would have looked at the life I had now and thought it was some sort of daydream. But it wasn't. I had everything I wanted. I had Evan. And suddenly I felt a rush of guilt. Maybe I didn't deserve all this. Maybe I did. I had gone through so much at such a young age, it didn't seem like that person was me. Was I becoming more of myself, or less? These thoughts swirled like a tornado in my head, destroying everything I thought I was so sure of.

"Are you writing this down?" a voice said. I looked up to see the board filled with notes.

"Uh, yes, Mr. Ivan," I said and rushed through the notes.

My raging thoughts subsided a bit by the end of the day. I came home to another box almost identical to the one I found that morning. Evan and Ellie were over and Violet was looked like she had caught up on her sleep.

"That was here after you left," she said, "still no idea who from."

I opened the box to reveal another book. But this was one I had never seen before. It had a reddish-orange binding, and an assortment of people on the cover.

"What's this?" I asked

Violet looked wide-eyed at it. She took the book in her hands.

"That man," she said "The nerve of him. I specifically told him to tell us when he was going to publish this." She sounded angry but she was smiling as if this was quite a pleasant surprise.

"It's book the twelfth isn't it?" I said

Violet nodded and handed it back to me. Later on, she called Mr. Snicket to talk about it. She asked if he had sent the books. But after the conversation, the sender remained concealed.

I finished the book later that night. Old memories came back, along with the same sadness, and new things I had forgotten rushed back to me. It seemed odd how out of all the unfortunate things that happened to me, I only remember a few of them. I found myself thinking that it must have been horrible to have such an unlucky life. But then I remembered that the person in the story was me. So it became probable in my head, as I lay in my bed, that the book was released on that day because of me. I felt the importance of my existence. One simple action that was written down in those books would lead to millions of ideas and thoughts in millions of people's heads. Fame seemed like such a dark and lonely thing. And it felt like it. Just a year before I hardly knew anything about the books, or myself. And now I felt like I knew everything and it was all slipping away. As far as birthdays go, in that one I changed the most. I suddenly felt sick. My eyes were fixed open until I gave up on thinking anymore and fell asleep only to dream of the life of fame. Only, unlike most dreams like it, this was a nightmare. I woke up telling myself that things weren't as bad, and that nothing had changed. But there was nothing like a newly published book to restart my fame. That and the fact that no matter how oblivious someone was to the books, today they were going to get a wake up call. And no doubt, some of those people would be my classmates. I felt nothing like a celebrity, I kept saying in my head that I wasn't. But time would tell and I had school. So I got up, half of me ready to face the world, the other half was scared to death.

**I feel for all of you people in colder states. Ijust got back from visiting family in Chicago, and almost froze to death in the process.Living here insunny southern California, I don't how you survive the cold. But I doubt you care about my life. So, just a reminder to reveiw, because if you don't I might have to make you stand out in the cold while I eat more chocolate chip cookies. Yum. Cookies. Review!**


	5. Sarcasm at its Sunniest

**Yay! Another chapter! I really like this chapter. Nothing important happens, it's just memories, and Sunny at her Sunniest. Enjoy!**

I survived the week without any major complications. Halloween was nearing and three plump pumpkins sat on the stoop of the mansion. The insides of the pumpkins had been carved out and I used them to make pumpkin bread and honey roasted seeds. I was bored that Saturday and Violet said she was tired of doing laundry so she forced Klaus and I to do it. I carried a stack of my clothes up to my room. I was hanging up a pair of jeans up when a flash of white caught my eye. A softly wrinkled paper stuck out from the front pocket. I carefully took it and tried to make out the words written on the paper in faded black ink.

_ uas, I will be arrivi in a short while. Alwa remember th ood you love the most._

It had been the note I had found what seemed like so long ago, on the last day of summer.

"Sunny, is this yours or Violet's?"

"What?" I said looking up at Klaus and crumpling the note in my hand. He was holding up a blue skirt.

"Violet's," I said immediately, " I don't wear skirts unless I have to. Everyone knows that."

"Okay," said Klaus walking out of the room

I fished around under my bed and pulled out a wooden box. I sat on the bedroom floor, opened its rusty hinges and put the note inside. The box had belonged to my mother and I took ownership to it the day we found a secret storage room beneath the house. It was getting quite full. I had kept an assortment of items inside it, including a photograph of my parents, the tiny red leather collar I had bought for Francis when I found her, only to find out that it was too small a week later, the friendship bracelet that was identical to Ellie's that I remembered making in fifth grade, and now, the note. I thought I might come back to it if I found anything else.

The bracelet in the box brought back memories from fifth grade. I remembered how mature we felt, going into middle school the very next year. We had gone to a weeklong science camp that year. That was when we made the friendship bracelets. Ellie and I didn't take them off all year. That trip reminded me of a similar one that was in my future. My biology class was taking a trip into the mountains that February. I was excited out of my mind, even though it was more than four months away. The phone rang and for once I didn't bother to answer it. I shuffled through the items in the box and found a small notebook that had a dog-eared cover and was breaking at the spine. I opened to the first page and read what was written in messy cursive:

_Violet says she loves Quigley. I think maybe Klaus still loves Fiona. Who do I love? There is no one for me to love. Violet says I'm too young to be worried about that. I wish I wasn't. I want someone to love me too. There is a few nice boys in my class. But they don't like me. They think girls are icky. Some of them are icky, but not all of them. I have nothing else to write and I have to go. So goodbye for now._

_-Sunny B. Age 10_

"Sunny," Violet called and I shoved the diary into the box and pushed the box underneath the bed.

"Huh?" I asked

"That was Evan on the phone," she said walking into my room, "he wanted me to tell you to meet him outside later,"

"Okay," I said standing up

"He's a sweet kid, you know," she said

"Yeah," I sighed

"You would want to lose him anytime soon," she warned

"What?" I asked. The thought of breaking up with Evan was not even plausible in my mind, "I would die if I did!" I said dramatically

"No you wouldn't," she replied calmly, "it would be a loss. But it could happen. Not many middle school relationships last very long."

"Thanks for depressing me." I said sarcastically, "I swear you've been around Klaus too long. You're getting boring."

"I'm not getting boring!" Violet said defensively, "I'm just saying you'd better watch your head. A relationship is a very fragile thing."

"Since when are you the date doctor?" I asked, "you wouldn't know either, you've been with Quigley for almost ten years."

Violets eyes widened and I thought I had said something to make her mad.

"Our anniversary is tomorrow!" she exclaimed

"You forgot, I'm guessing," I said

"Completely," she said tying her hair up, "and I have no idea what to get him."

"Get him some hair dye, his roots are showing through," I suggested

"Quigley does not dye his hair, for the last time," she frowned, "It's naturally that dark."

"Then why is Isadora's lighter?" I argued

"She's the one who dyes her hair," Violet said simply, "That's just her- always trying to be different from her siblings, as if being a girl wasn't enough."

"I still vote hair dye," I said

Violet groaned walking out of the room, "Never mind. Remind me to never ask my little sister for help ever again."

"Aye, aye captain," I called after her, saluting stiffly

**Thought I'd end this chapter on a happy note. Please remember to review. Otherwise you might as well not have read at all. Next chapter catches Sunny up to current times, or late November at least.**


	6. Evan, It's Cold Outside

**YAY! WINTER BREAK! WHOOO! yeah. What now? I'm bored and it's only about four hours into winter break. Anyway, enjoy chapter six and give me some figgy pudding!**

The ice cream parlor wasn't quiet but it was calm on the last Sunday of November. Holiday music was playing over the murmur of people. I was halfway through a bowl of peppermint ice cream while Evan sat across from me at the booth. It was comfortable in the parlor, but a rush of cold air would blow in every time someone came in or went out. It was hardly six o'clock, but the sky was a pale gray, fading into black. The trees outside lit up as it got darker, twinkling with tiny white lights. I wasn't expecting to see snow until our school trip in February. It certainly felt cold enough to snow, but I knew not to get my hopes up since that hadn't happened in that city anytime in my lifetime.

"We should go soon," Evan said, "I told my parents I'd be home by six thirty."

"Okay," I sighed, "Walk me home?"

"Sure," he smiled

I pulled my coat on, careful not to scrunch up my sleeves.

The weather was certainly bitter. Even with a coat and scarf, the cold stung like ice. I squinted in the wind. When we finally reached the colossal mansion I invited Evan in.

I gave him a swift kiss on the cheek, because I had learned the hard way that Klaus seemed to be near whenever I tried anything else.

"I gotta go," Evan said nervously, obviously fearing the same as me.

I looked around. Klaus most likely wasn't home.

"One second, Evan," I said. "Hello?" I called, echoing my voice through the entrance hall.

No one answered.

"You can stay," I said, "no one's home

"No, I told my parents I'd be home." he said, then paused, "Are you _sure_ no one's home?"

"Positive," I reassured him

"No, Sunny" he said again, changing his mind, "I really have to go."

"It's cold out though," I said. It was the only thing I could think of.

Evan laughed, "No so much right now," he smiled, "and it's only going to get colder."

_Then stay forever,_ I thought quickly, but managed to keep that argument in my head.

"Bye Sunny," he said, walking out the door, "I'm gonna go now."

"No," I said defiantly, "I won't let you."

"What are you planning on doing to stop me, then?" he replied coolly

I looked around, thinking rapidly. I was determined to get Evan to stay. Part of me didn't even care, but another part was unwavering in letting him leave. I kissed him forcefully and pulled him back inside the house by the shirt collar.

"That work?" I asked. He said nothing and smiled weakly.

I did it one more time just to make sure my point was well made.

"Hello?" Violet said walking out of her workshop, and spotting us mid-kiss in the entrance hall. I stepped away from Evan and smiled innocently at Violet. My face was red hot. I could feel it. I was about to say something.

"Can I use your phone?" Evan asked before I could explain, "I need to call my parents, gotta tell them I'm staying."

"Of course," Violet said, "I'm going to be in the workshop, if you need me."

I smiled as Evan walked into the kitchen. I was quite pleased with myself, even though I had no idea what to do next. Suddenly, I had an idea.

"Yeah I'm staying over here, at Sunny's" Evan was saying when I walked in the kitchen, "Violet's here, stop worrying. I'll be home at…" he looked at me.

"Seven," I said. Evan was about to reply, "no wait, eight."

"Around eight. Yes, I know. Bye." He hung up the phone.

"Hot cocoa?" I asked holding up two mugs of steaming hot cocoa with cinnamon sticks for stirrers.

"Thanks," he said taking one, "cinnamon?"

"It's a Sunny original," I smiled taking a sip

"Ow," he said putting the mug down, "it's hot."

"No, duh, Evan" I said, "otherwise it'd be cold cocoa, and no one would want to drink that. And it might help if you try not to down it- take sips."

Evan took an exaggeratedly dainty sip while I drank more cocoa. I laughed, causing the cocoa to almost come out my nose, which was a very unpleasant experience. I must have been making an amusing face because Evan started laughing along with me. As soon as the laughter died, we took our hot cocoa and I led Evan through the hallways of the mansion and to the game room. I challenged him to a game of billiards. That was one thing, other than cooking, that I prided myself on. I could defiantly play a good game of pool. I hardly remember ever leaning how to play. It sort of came naturally.

"Ladies first," Evan said bowing

"You'll wish you hadn't said that. Prepare to eat crow," I warned Evan, chalking the end of the stick and bringing myself to eye level with the table. With one quick jab, I pocketed five of the multi-colored, polished spheres. I blew some white powder off the end of the stick and set it down.

Evan looked impressed. I smiled. I was surprised at how many things were going my way. That never happened. I began thinking Evan was letting me win, but I accepted that I really was beating him. He was eating crow and I was having fun actually being better than someone else at something other than cooking. I grinned through the whole game. When that intense game was over, and the last drop of cocoa had been drained, it was already past eight. I walked Evan home, making sure to bundle up before going outside. The sky was a deep blue and gray clouds concealed most of the stars. The weather felt near to freezing. I stayed close to Evan the whole time and felt better. I pulled my scarf up over my mouth to prevent my mouth from freezing off. I walked Evan up to the steps to his house. I undid the scarf and a rush of cold air blew my hair and froze the back of my neck. I kissed his cheek and put my scarf back on. I threw my arms around Evan and didn't let go for a short while.

The walk home seemed quite a bit colder without Evan.

I came in the front door to see that Klaus was home. My timing had been perfect. I hung up my coat and took my shoes off. I felt alone, even though I wasn't at all. Maybe it was the cold. Winter can do that to people- makes them unhappy. But this wasn't necessarily sadness, just fatigue mixed with missing Evan. Which seems completely stupid because I would see him the very next day.  
"This kid is driving me crazy," I muttered to myself and hiked upstairs.

I kept telling myself to focus but my mind would drift off and my thoughts would slip away. Some magical force was making my eyes trail back to him. It was just like last year, when I would find myself staring, not realizing that I was doing so. And when our eyes accidentally met he would look at me and give me a smile that made me feel ridiculously awkward despite the fact that his smile was friendly and pleasant. The only difference now was that the awkwardness was gone, and I returned the smile. Surreal was the only word for it. It might have taken four months for the reality of it all hit me, but it was overwhelming. Maybe it was what Violet said about losing him, I don't know, but I was beginning to feel like it was too much to handle. I took a deep breath and focused my thoughts on history class. I certainly hoped things would be okay, but I just decided that I would live things one day at a time and try to keep my head.

If it had not been for the noisy crow perched high in the oak tree I would not have noticed the flash of white paper sticking out from in between two branches. I reached up for it, but my height proved another disadvantage, so I decided that there were more important things than keeping my new jeans looking new, and climbed up into the tree. I stuffed the note in my pocket and rushed across the street and into the mansion. Once inside, I unfolded the piece of paper. I read what was written in rushed handwriting.

_Why have you not responded? Are you okay? If so please meet me in the park within twenty minutes of the New Year. It is important. I have something for you. Please reply promptly or else our entire plan shall fall apart. Always remember the food you love the most._

I found myself thinking that I should go to the park on New Year's Eve to find out who was writing these mysterious notes and whom they were for. But it occurred to me that this would be impossible unless I placed the note back where I had found it. I would simply have to keep an eye on the tree and try not to interfere with the two people's odd means of communication. At this point, I was involving myself in this mystery for my own entertainment. It was just a petty activity, with no real benefits except for my own satisfaction when, or if, I ever solved it.

Two days later on December first, I was again delighted with another note on my way home from school. I dropped my book bag next to the tree and climbed up into it. I sat on one branch and leaned against another as I read:

_I never received your penultimate note, and you never answered why I must remain near home for the holidays, although your last message more or less answered my question. That one was the first I received. Any others must have been lost or intercepted. As soon as we can get the telegram system working again, we will not have to deal with this. I will do what I can to be there on the thirty-first. I believe I am celebrating at a friend's house very close to here, and it might be difficult to slip out for a moment to meet you. I am eager to see you again; it has been quite some time since we last met. Fish and chips._

This note seemed to justify most of my ideas on the two people. I was in deep thought about the meaning of it all when a car pulled up in front of the mansion. Either it was Quigley or Duncan who emerged from the drivers seat; it was hard to tell at first from a distance. Either way, I Put the note back, climbed down from the tree and grabbed my bag without really thinking. I stood behind him on his right side, tapped his left shoulder, and laughed when he fell for it. He turned to me and I immediately knew he was Quigley. His cobalt eyes gave away his identity. That's one odd thing about the Quagmire triplets: Duncan and Isadora share dark brown eyes, while Quigley's are a deep navy. The Baudelaire women seemed to have a innate penchant to unusually colored eyes. My father's were a shade in between gray and blue, Evan's are a profound green, and Quigley's are an oddity of blue among his siblings.  
"Hey," he said pulling me into an embrace that was somewhere in between a one armed hug and a headlock.  
"Hey yourself," I replied, trying to escape his arm and eventually succeeding.  
"Is Violet home?" Quigley asked tentatively

"I'd guess so," I answered as we walked inside, "Barely got home just a few minutes ago, and I haven't been in the house…" I trailed off and Violet walked into the room her hands were covered in white paint. Her auburn hair was tied back and she had more paint splattered everywhere on her outfit, and there was something peculiar about it. I noticed that for once in her life she was wearing a pair of jeans, instead of her usual uniform of a skirt or trousers. It was odd, almost the equivalent of Klaus wearing a dress. Or, perhaps, maybe not that extreme, but to such a formal person as Violet, jeans were comparable to pajamas for an informal person like myself.

Violet kissed Quigley cautiously, careful not to get paint on him.

"Sorry," she apologized brightly, "I've been painting this old desk. Thought I'd fix it up. Hi Sunny."

"Hey," I smiled and stroked Francis's long ears as she greeted me. I wandered up to my room and tried to figure out the anonymity of these notes. I soon got bored and decided to go outside. As the sky slowly turned darker, I climbed into the oak tree and assembled onto my normal branch. A dark haired boy walked along the sidewalk.

"Hey Evan!" I called and he looked around, "up here!". He turned his head and smiled at me from the sidewalk. I gestured for him to come up.

"What are you doing up there?" he asked standing at the base of the tree.

"I dunno," I said, "I just kinda like it up here. Come up."

Evan looked reluctant but made his way up the tree. He sat next to me and we looked out at the view. I could hardly see much over the height of the mansion, as the tree was not outstandingly tall. But despite there not being a much of a view, it was pleasant being up in the tree with Evan. I leaned against him and rested my head gently on his shoulder. It was nice to have someone- not just a boyfriend, but someone who understands. I suppose the two go hand in hand. As the sun began to set, I had a sudden idea come back to me. I prepared myself. The city was never silent, but on this day, it was about as quiet as it could get.

"Evan?" I said, my voice seeming loud against the almost silence.

"Hm?"

"Do you think…" I paused searching for words, "Do you think this is what love is like?"

He considered the question, "What do you mean?"

"I mean this feeling…I dunno, that was a stupid question."

"No it wasn't," he said sternly, "I just can't think of an answer. I guess I'm the stupid one"

"No, you're not stupid," I assured him, "at least not all the time." I looked up at him, "I'm kidding." I laughed.

"I know," he was laughing too.

"Just answer the question," I said trying not to change the subject

"I don't know," he insisted, "I've never loved anyone before. I mean, before now."

_Did that mean he loved me?_ I thought wildly.

"Me neither," I said and we left it at that.

**Hope you like it so far. And you might think you know who the notes are for and from, but you could be wrong. You most likely are. Unless your stalking me and I certainly hope you aren't. Anyway, please review and if you have any ideas about the notes please don't post it in a review. Just email me and I'll tell you if you're close. Okay, cool. The next chapter involves lots of holiday cheer and maybe even some mistle-toad...ha ha.**


	7. Chabo and the Attack of the MistleToad

**Here ya go! Oh, and Happy Christmahanukwanza!**

"_Wake up, Klaus." _

"_Do you know what day it is?"_

_Klaus gradually opened his eyes and his seven-year-old face lit up with excitement._

"_Violet! Violet! It's Christmas!" he ran down the hall and burst into Violet's room._

"_Mmmm" Violet buried her face in her pillow, "not now, Klaus…"_

"_Well don't just lie there like a huge fat hen!"_

"_Klaus!" Mrs. Baudelaire scolded_

"_Violet, honey, it's Christmas," Mr. Baudelaire said calmly_

"_Well no one tells me anything any more," she lifted herself from the bed and raced Klaus down the spiral staircase. An assortment of packages was nestled beneath the enormous tree. _

_Violet beat Klaus to the tree and kneeled next to a large, brightly wrapped present. The two children tore open the gifts and squealed in delight at what was inside: an encyclopedia for Klaus and a violet-colored tool box for Violet, along with an variety of other pleasing gifts. _

_Klaus hid in an enormous box that had held a telescope for Violet. _

"_Help! Help! I can't get out!" he yelled pretending to be stuck in the box, "I'm claustrophobic! No! No! I'm Klaus-traphobic! Able to read books at a single glance and he-can- fly!" he burst triumphantly from the box and pretended to fly around the living room with a cape of red wrapping paper trailing behind him. _

"I think somebody's had too much eggnog," Violet said as she picked up the crumpled scraps of wrapping paper from the floor.

She was only nine but seemed much older, she always has. Violet, I mean. It was awfully strange and poignant to watch the home video. Everyone was so happy. No one ever expected what would happen only a few years later; at least I don't think anyone did. But either way, it was heartrending to watch the happy family that seemed so perfect, where the future was completely set and the biggest change would be the growing of the children and the birth of another. But something big did change, everything changed. It was painful to imagine what my life would be like if Count Olaf never recognized his affinity for arson.

The tape ended and the now twenty-three-year-old Klaus went up to the television to retrieve the tape.

"What happened to you?" Violet asked Klaus, "you used to be so crazy now you're… almost boring."

"I am not boring," Klaus protested

"Yeah, you are," I said. We sat on the living room couch that morning after we found a tape from a Christmas before I was born.

"Your not boring," Isadora said smiling at Klaus. It was an odd thing for her to do. Isadora was usually the making fun of other people, especially Klaus. I thought maybe she hadn't meant to defend him, because her face was slightly pink. The two other triplets were at the Quagmire mansion. Isadora had spent the night. The morning was brisk and the dark wood floor of the mansion was cold to the touch. For this reason, I had warmed my feet in a pair of shearling-lined boots. I clutched in my hands a cup of tea sweetened with a teaspoon of sugar. Klaus had his dark and unsweetened.

"Why didn't Quigley come last night?" Violet asked Isadora. Much to her disappointment and anticipation, Quigley was yet to propose. Violet had not given up on the idea, however.

"Said he had a final blueprint to do, the contractor, or whatever, needs it soon, I guess," Isadora replied. Quigley worked as an architect, although he still used his cartography skills for his and other people's uses on the side.

I'm going to get dressed," I said but no one seemed to really hear me. It didn't matter; I got up from the coach and headed up stairs. It was another lazy Sunday morning. _Only one more week of school until winter break, _I thought. But that seemed like an eternity.

Mrs. Dean had dangled several sprigs of mistletoe from the classroom ceiling. Mostly people did as best they could to avoid being under it, but others just took it as an excuse to make out in class. This had only happened once, however, in my class, and a new rule of keeping "classroom conduct" was established. Still, others used the mistletoe for its original, more innocent purpose. That is, you would slyly arrange for whomever you liked to "accidentally" get stuck under the mistletoe with you. There was no official rule that you had to kiss whoever it was standing under it, but if you could kiss the person you happened to be pursuing without any objections, usually they liked you back. Evan and I were yet to be under the mistletoe, and I would be too embarrassed to kiss Evan in school anyway. News spreads like wildfire on a middle school campus. Not that most people had already learned of the relationship shared between Evan and I. But that would only make it official.

The mistletoe, however, was the extent of holiday cheer in the classroom. Unlike previous years, there would be no holiday parties or festivities whatsoever on our last Friday before break. But there was going to be a break and that's all that mattered. The week actually went faster than I thought it would; probably because my teachers were trying to cram as much work into that last week of the quarter as possible. Also, we were starting cooking in Home Ec. And as excited as I was to get to it, it wasn't all as great as I remembered. Cooking at home was more pleasing for me. But it was better than sewing. Possibly the reason I wasn't liking Home Ec as much as last year was the fact that Evan was not in my class. He had gotten Office aid, instead: that is, the students who spend one period a day bringing notes to classes, filing paper work, and doing whatever else needs to be done in the school office.

I walked from sixth period on that Thursday.

"Hey Finn," I said spotting him as I walked to my locker

"Hey Chabo," he said cheerfully

"Please don't call me that," I said. Finnegan put his arm across my shoulder.

"Why? I like it," he said mockingly, "sounds very…_fierce_."

"Please Finn," I laughed

"Fine." He said disappointedly

Evan walked up and gave a look that meant he had noticed Finn's arm around me.

"What is this?" he said and I could hardly tell if he was joking or serious

"Whaddya mean? Sunny's _my _girl!" Finn joked

"She was mine first," Evan joked back

"I'll fight you," challenged Finn shaking his orange hair from his face

"No, sorry Finn," I smiled lifting his arm away, "my heart belongs to Evan."

"So that's how things are gonna be?" Finn said dramatically, "I don't need you."

"Bye Finn," I said

"Just leave," Finn said mockingly

"Aren't you going to miss the bus?" I asked

" Aw, crap," he muttered and rushed away, "Bye!" he called and mouthed, "call me" to me.

Evan was funny, but his sense of humor could not be compared to Finnegan's. It was hard to imagine how uncomfortable I felt around him at the beginning of the year. Having Finn around meant that your mouth would be sore for three days after from laughing so hard. Whether that was a good thing or not, I still don't know.

By Friday, after a week of four tests, three quizzes, two presentations, and a partridge in a pear tree, I was hungry for a nice long break. Christmas approached faster than I had expected. So that the Wednesday before, I was surprised to learn that Christmas Eve was only three days away.

"Brooke, where's the mistle-toad?" Scout skipped into the room,

"The _mistletoe _should be in the box, where all of the other Christmas stuff is," Brooke looked at the clock as Scout walked into the other room, "Ben's gonna be here in an hour."

"What does he major in?" I asked referring to Ben's colledge carreer

"How'd you know he's in school?" Brooke wanted to know as we sat in her kitchen drinking cherry coke.

"Scout told me," I said plainly

"Scout?" she asked, "Oh, you mean Sarah. Yeah, she tells people her name's Scout because she's obsessed, _obsessed_ with To Kill a Mockingbird. She's even attemped reading the book. We don't have to read it 'til eighth grade." Brooke took a sip of her coke.

"Oh," I said. I liked the name Scout. I was disapointed a bit.

I walked home from Brooke's a little later, noticing that you could see the glow of the Christmas lights through thewindowfrom outside the mansion.

Christmastime was always sort of solemn in the Baudelaire mansion, full of delicate memories. This was mostly because of the fact that we lost our parents shortly after the holidays. And after almost a year of fighting for our parent's fortune and our lives, we returned to the newly-re-run Prufrock Preparatory School, equip with preschool and everything else needed for a well functioning boarding school. And, yet, it was still sad to have to stay at school our first Christmas there, while all of the other children went home to their parents. I hardly remember, but I had heard stories plenty of times. The following Christmas however, we did have a place to go. That's when Mr. Snicket first became our legal guardian. I remember him being depressed most of the time, but when he was in a good mood he had a fine sense of humor. After that our Christmases were stained with sullen memories. I waited for the guests to arrive on Christmas Eve.

I pulled a needle off the Christmas tree in the living room, took in the strong aroma, and sprinkled it onto the package-covered ground. The ornaments stood still and weighty on the branches. One single ornament held a picture of the entire Baudelaire family, taken a few months after I was born. We looked happy, innocent, and unaware of what the future held.

The doorbell rang to signal that the Quagmire triplets had arrived. I rushed to the door and swung it open. Surprisingly, instead of the Quagmires, Kit Snicket stood at the door with an armful of presents. Just like that. He had not seen her for so long, and there she was standing and grinning on the stoop to the mansion.

"Hello, Sunny you have grown," she beamed at me

"Um, hi," I said, not sure how to respond, "Kit?"

"Yes?" she asked. She looked mostly the same as I remembered her, only she didn't look a bit distraught, or pregnant. Older maybe, but happy.

"Oh, it's nothing," I said quickly, "What are you doing here?" I blurted out

"Must I have a reason for coming to see some old friends," she said. She had that same stubborn vagueness as her younger brother. It was like they knew something you didn't know, and they knew that you didn't know, you know?

"No, you don't…" I said, "but you can't just pick some random day to visit."

Kit laughed, "It's not some random day, it's Christmas."

"But aren't you Jewish?" I asked, as I began to think there was no point in arguing with Kit.

"Yes," Kit smiled but that was all she said. She just looked knowingly pleased.

I had just then decided to give up and go find Violet or Klaus when Duncan Quagmire strolled in, followed by Quigley and Isadora.

"Happy Christmakah!" Duncan shouted as he walked

"Hello Duncan," I said

"Hey- who's she?" Duncan regarded Kit with a confused expression

"Kit," I said, patiently waiting for Duncan to grow a brain, "remember?"

"Snicket?" he guessed screwing up his face like he always did when he tried to think

I clapped my hands mockingly and sauntered up the stairs to look for Violet. Instead I found Klaus. He was staring at himself in the mirror in the bathroom closest to my room. Violet had probably taken the over the other ones. She was one who liked to look "presentable".

"Was someone at the door?" he asked running gel through his dark hair. I walked past the bathroom and into my own room.

"Only Kit and the Quagmires," I said lazily as I cleared the cluttered floor of my room before Klaus could get a chance to get mad about it.

"Oh," he said and was quiet, "Kit?"

"Snicket," I finished

"I know," Klaus sighed

"Yeah, it's pretty weird that she showed up," I said

"Yeah…" Klaus agreed, and obviously found himself fit to be seen, because he made his way down the stairs.

Christmas dinner went about as normally as possible, besides the fact that there was an added guest. After opening presents and having apple pie, I found myself incredibly tired. After Kit had left I headed up the spiral staircase and went directly to my room, leaving the Quagmires, who were getting ready to leave, and my siblings downstairs. It was dark in my room and my shutters were shut tight, so I opened them a bit so the light that poured in from the streetlights would help me find the light switch. In doing so I noticed Klaus saying goodbye to the Quagmires, giving Isadora an especially long hug, by the way. He walked toward the park after the Quagmires drove away. This would have been normal if he had one of the dogs with him, except he didn't. He simply walked over to that oak tree and placed something between to of its branches. And, although it was hard to tell from my foggy window, that thing, in fact, looked very much like a rolled up piece of white paper.

**HA! Yay for reverse psychology! And ketchup too. Hope you like chapter 7. If you do, please review. If you don't, still review. I really don't care. Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing! I guess I'm kinda hyper, today...**


	8. Midnight Kisses and Burning Bridges

**Holy cow! I haven't posted anything in years. Well, since Christmas. But whatever, this is aMEGA chapter, almost nine full pages on word. If this chapter was a noise there'd be about a billion exclamation points after it. Sorry, that was random. After this chapter I'll take a break from writing until about mid-Feburary. It's not too long, but this is kind of like a mid-way point in the story. Anyway, hope you enjoy.**

"You doing anything on New Year's Eve?" Finn wanted to know

"Nothing special," I sighed, "why?"

"I'm having a party," he explained, "that's all. And you are coming, unless you're too cool to be seen with the little people."

"I think she is," Ellie said. She was sitting dangerously close to Finn on the sofa. Well, dangerously close for two people who denied anything was going on between them. Yeah, right.

I laughed, "No, not yet. I'll be there."

"Cool," Finnegan smiled, but not at me, at Ellie.

"Who else is gonna be there?" I asked

"Well all of us, you know, just you, me, Ellie, Evan, Brooke and the rest of our grade," he said wryly propping his feet up on the coffee table of the mansions spacey family room.

"So," I began, "this is no small get-together?"

"Not really,"

I was just starting to look forward to the party when I realized that I couldn't go. Unless of course I planned on missing finding out who was sending secret notes to my brother. Not that it was really any of my business. But it just starting to get interesting and I wanted to know who was sending Klaus messages. And why they (most likely a she) wanted to see Klaus so bad. Unless this person had something unpleasant planned. That would be bad…either way I had to go.

"Wait," I said, "I might be busy on New Year's."

I could always go to Finn's party and find out about Klaus later. It never really occurred to me that I could just ask him and he would probably tell me. Or not. That was the problem with everyone: they're all too vague. But Finn would never throw parties again, and Klaus would always have a secret pen pal. No. It was the other way around: Finn would always have parties and Klaus would never get secret letters. But I didn't care, a party sounded more interesting anyway.

"Never mind," I said quickly, "I'm coming."

"You'd better," Finn warned mockingly, "a party's not a party 'til Sunny's there."

I swung a throw pillow at him, but his reflexes being faster than mine, he grabbed the pillow and placed it neatly behind his head. He kept a smug look on his face the whole time. Ellie now moved closer to Finn, so she was almost on his lap. And it didn't look like Finnegan was objecting this, either. I felt uncomfortable. I had a feeling I should leave the two alone. But part of me didn't want to leave because, first of all this was _m_y house and I felt it was my duty to take advantage of my right to be anywhere in the house I pleased- except maybe Violets room, and second because I thought my being there would prevent anything happening. Not that it really mattered to me. Finn and Ellie could get married and I'd be okay with it. But that wasn't entirely true.

I uneasily twirled my hair around my finger and hoped that someone would say something. Awkwardness is right up there with vagueness on my list of pet peeves. Like I had wanted, someone did say something, only it wasn't exactly what I would have liked them to say.

"Finn," Ellie said softly

"Huh?" Finnegan replied. He was looking a bit unnaturally uneasy himself.

"Please Ellie," I finally interrupted, "if you're gonna start making out I might be sick."

"What?" Ellie asked suddenly

"You were about to make out with Finn," I reminded her

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what you were doing." I said

"Yeah," she said defensively, "and it wasn't making out with Finn."

"Sure looked like it," I muttered

"And if I was why should you care? You and Evan are always playing tonsil hockey no matter who's watching!"

"Are not," I said now losing some of my confidence. She had me there.

"Yeah you are, and you know it. Of all people, Sunny you are such a hypocrite."

"Well at least Evan and I admit that we like each other, you and Finn are in complete denial."

"You actually think we like each other?"

"Yes, I do,"

"Well you're wrong,"

"She is?" Finn asked

"Shh," Ellie hissed at Finn

I raised an eyebrow.

"You really cannot sit here and tell me there is nothing." I said skeptically

"Well I am."

"Nothing?" I asked doubtfully

"Nothing?" Finn asked hopefully

"Fine." Ellie said, "I'm in love with Finn! Is that what you want to hear?"

"No, but…"

If it was awkwardness I was avoiding that's exactly what I got. The room was palpable with discomfort.

Ellie glared at me, grabbed Finn's wrist and dragged him out of the room.

"I'm sorry but we've got to go make out somewhere!" Ellie said furiously as she left

Just as she said this, Isadora walked in the room.

"Ooo-kay…I was gonna ask if anyone wanted ice cream but if it's a bad time…you want any ice cream?" she asked despairingly

"No thanks," I said staring angrily at my shoe. I had made a mistake. And now it seemed like Ellie would never want to talk to me again. All because I had to open my mouth about, of all things, kissing. Ellie was right, I was no one to talk, what with Evan and all.

After Isadora left, I heard her ask Klaus if he wanted any ice cream. She must have been desperate.

New Years proved to hold quite a few surprises within itself, on that cool and windy Saturday. First of all I decided to go to Finn's party even though Ellie still wasn't talking to me. Besides, he had never really un-invited me. I dragged Evan along with me. Finn's house was crowded with people, what looked like, as he said, the entire seventh grade. Evan led me to a clearer part, out of the crowd near the front door. I leaned up against a door labeled "7 Minutes in Heaven" and wondered if Finn's parents were around, or if the even knew about this party while Evan went to get drinks. I rubbed my heel deciding that it was probably an unwise choice to wear my new pale blue flats. But they looked good so I felt less regret. I also was wearing a skirt, because New Years was a sort of special occasion and I wasn't doing anything real physical. Wasn't _planning_ on doing anything physical at least, things turn out different most of the time. But I liked that skirt and thought I might wear one more often, not too often, though. I did a lot of thinking until Evan came back with soda.

I was still leaning against the door when it moved. I dodged out of its way and it swung open. Ellie came bursting out of the closet her fingers laced with Finn's, the two breaking into peals of laughter. Ellie's smile faded when she saw me. I was about to say something when she turned and briskly walked away, completely ignoring me.

"Is she still mad?" Evan asked holding our drinks. I nodded with a sigh and went after her.

"Ellie," I said following close behind her as she and Finn rushed away, "C'mon. I'm sorry."

She kept walking.

"Oh, is that right?" she asked without looking at me

"Yes," I said, "you were right. I was being stupid."

"You were," agreed Ellie, finally stopping and turning around to face me

"I know, it's none of my business if you like Finn or not," I glanced up at Finn who was still holding Ellie's hand. Ellie was quiet for a second. I gave a convincing smile and my best puppy-dog eyes knowing that I had her forgiveness now.

"Well as my best friend it kinda is," Ellie said quietly

"So we're still friends?" I asked

"As long as you swear you'll never give me any more crap about kissing, Miss Makeout."

"Deal," I said, "by the way, how was 7 minutes in heaven?"

"Awesome," Finn piped up with a sly grin.

"Oh," Ellie stopped and looked at Finn displeasingly, "we weren't doing anything. Brooke just dared us to go in. She never said we had to actually _do anything_. Have you seen her?"

"Nope," I said combing the crowd for either Evan or Brooke, "we just got here."

I found Evan, and Ellie, Finn, and I made our way to him.

Evan looked at Ellie uncertainly.

"You still mad?" he asked carefully

"Yeah," Ellie said, "I'm never talking to _her_ again."

Evan looked confused. His green eyes darted back from Ellie and I.  
"I'm kidding," Ellie said realizing that he didn't get it, "You are so cute when you're confused."

Evan frowned and I kissed him on the cheek. Ellie was right. About Evan being adorable, I mean. He shrugged and leaned against the door.

About an hour into the party whoever was taking care of the music changed it to a slow song. I was glad I had taken that class over the summer. _Very_ glad in fact, if it had not been for that class I would have no one to dance with at all. Evan put his hand on the small of my back and as the song went on I felt it move south. I took his hand and moved it higher on my back. I don't know if he meant to do that or not. But he was blushing, so I decided that he didn't.

"It's almost midnight," Ellie said at eleven fifty

"Oh no," I muttered and turned to Evan, "I've got to go."

"Why? Aren't you staying for midnight?" he asked

"I can't," I said apologetically

"Okay," Evan said looking a bit disappointed, "you can't just stay for the countdown?"

"Um," I began. Evan didn't have to be so undeniably adorable, "okay. But I have to go right afterwards."

I looked at Finn who was looking at Ellie hopefully.

"You know at midnight you're supposed to kiss someone," I piped up

"Really?" Finn asked giving me a thankful look.

We went through the countdown and I ended it with a kiss with Evan. Finn kissed Ellie on the cheek and she smiled at him. Then, without notice, she leaned over and kissed him, on the lips this time. They say whatever you do on New Years you end up doing all year. Ellie looked flustered and ecstatic. Finn looked like someone had just clubbed him over the head, in a sort of good way, though, if that makes any sense.

"Oh, God, I'm insane," Ellie breathed looking suddenly pale

"Have fun," I said, having to almost yell over the music and people as I let go of Evan's hand, "I'll see you later. Bye."

"Happy New Year's, Sunny," Evan said with a grin. I returned the grin.

"Happy New Year's," I said to all of them and rushed out of the house.

When I stepped outside the wind nearly knocked me off my feet. It was cold and the air was ringing with noise. I wandered across the street and towards the park. It was sort of quiet when some of the screams died down. I looked around apprehensively.

"Sunny!" a voice broke the eerie silence

I nearly jumped out of my shoes, which, by the way were starting to feel better thanks to a few compliments. I spun around causing my skirt to twirl prettily.

"You scared me," I said putting a hand to my heart as if that would make it beat slower

"Didn't mean to," Evan shrugged, "Where're you going?"

"No where." I lied hoping that Evan would let me get away with that. As if.

"If you're going no where than come back in, it's cold out," he walked with me as I edged the sidewalk.

"I am going somewhere," I said, "Just going somewhere _alone_."

"Oh," he said with a gleam in his eye that I could see by the light of a streetlamp, "then I'll just go back to the party and dance by myself…"

"C'mon, Evan," I said pleadingly, "I can't. What I have to do, it's important. And I'm already late."

"These streets are dangerous," he said dolefully, "you'd be much better off if you had someone with you."

"I can take care of myself, you know," I informed him. Stupid Evan didn't know what he was getting himself into. Either did I, really, but at least I wasn't soda-drunk like he was.

"Yes, but you wouldn't mind company, would you?" he asked. There really was no use in arguing.

"Fine," I sighed, "you can come."

I had no idea how I was going to explain how spying on my brother was so important, but Evan wasn't taking no for and answer. We continued down the street in silence. I looked over at Evan who was smiling at me.

"What?" I said touching my hair to make sure that wasn't what he was laughing about.

"Nothing," he said still smiling

"Not nothing," I insisted, "you're smiling all weird, what is it?"

Evan looked at me and said, "Sunny, I-" but I never got to hear what he was going to say because I saw the figure of a young woman walking towards the park.

"C'mon!" I whispered sharply grabbing Evan's hand and dodging towards the courtyard of the park. It was a kind of round center surrounding a fancy fountain at the edge of the park.

"What are you doing?" he asked following me as I sped towards a tree to hide behind. I kept my eyes on the girl, whose eyes, I noticed, were framed by a pair of glasses.

"This," I said then deciding just to tell him, " I have to spy on my brother,"

"Why?" Evan asked as we hid behind a park bench facing the fountain. The bespectacled girl made her way through the park as if she had gone on midnight strolls every day of the week. She sat uneasily on the edge of the fountain, twirling a piece of paper in her hands and… waiting.

"Because I have to find out who he's meeting. That's her, I think." I gestured towards the girl. I looked at Evan. The streetlamp's dull light shined through the slats of the park bench and banded our faces as I watched for my brother. Evan looked confused as he peered through the slats.

"Look," he said

I did so and saw a young man coming towards the park.

Klaus, finally. But as the figure came closer I noticed that he wasn't Klaus at all, but still, he wasn't a person unrecognizable to me. Not at all.

"Duncan?" I whispered loud enough for the girl to turn towards the bench. Then, I guess, she realized that benches don't usually whisper names to you at midnight because she resumed to looking over the piece of parchment in her hand. But shortly after, she heard another noise, footsteps, and looked toward the triplet's direction. Immediately her expression lit and she raced towards him with brazenly determined steps. She stopped before she got to him, said something that I could not hear, and threw herself at him, almost toppling him over.

I was in such shock, however that I was unable to relish this romantic moment, as I normally would have. Another factor of this could have been that this was _Duncan- _the exact cause of 33 percentof my teen angst, who was being hugged greedily by this girl.

"Oh I remember him," Evan said with a mingled look of uncertainty and resent "he's the one who called me a ballerina."

"That'd be him," I whispered back, "but what on earth is he doing here, I saw Klaus put the note in the tree…"

"He could've put it there for him," Evan suggested

Then I remembered that Klaus had said goodbye to the Quagmires shortly before placing the note in the tree. I should've thought of that. This was all wrong. Klaus- not Duncan, was supposed to come to the park, meet his friend, and I was going to see who this person was, go back to what was left of the party and then stay the night at Ellie's. But no, stupid Duncan had to mess up my plans.

So then in my bewilderment, I lost what balance I had kneeling behind the park bench, and ended up bur-covered in the bush behind us. Luckily, I managed to do this almost silently and the yelp I let out while falling backward was drowned out by a howl of wind. "You okay," Evan asked quietly, just making sure I wasn't injured so he could start laughing.

"Yes," I muttered then noticed that he was grinning as he helped me out of the bush, "and it's not funny."

"Sorry," he murmured tenderly and picked a branch out of my hair with a smile. I almost decided to knock his hand away, but I didn't, even though I was still a bit bitter about him laughing at me.

"S'ok," I mumbled

I looked back to the fountain and they- Duncan and his girlfriend, were gone. Just gone.

"Where'd they go?" I asked as if Evan actually knew

"Dunno," he said, "They were just here…"

"C'mon," I grabbed his wrist and led him back to the house. I stopped as I was about to knock on the door, but suddenly, impulsively, I turned away and went towards the fire escape on the side of the mansion. Since it was more than three stories high, it needed one. I led Evan up the rusted metal stairs and onto the roof, a place I had only been once or twice in the whole time we lived there. You could see the city for miles to the east and the bay to the west. Mountains and water and buildings were all brightly lit and twinkling under a full moon. It was the kind of view that made you feel like time had stopped. Yet it was alive and moving. The air was clear, the way it is whenever a big windstorm blows all the smog away. It was such a strong feeling that the view gave me that night that I thought I could hardly contain it.

"Evan!" I cried standing near the edge and looking off into the hypnotizing view, "It's incredible, so bright, and alive, but calm and clear- I want to hold it all in my hands, it all looks so close."

"What are you talking about?" Evan asked coming up the stairs

"I want to hold it all until it screams 'let me go! Let me go'" I said, ignoring him completely

"You're crazy," he said

"Maybe," I agreed, giving him a suddenly serious and knowing look, "but at least I'm not boring. I mean look at it Evan. Not just the view, everything, It's so… perfect."

"I'm not boring," he said standing next to me as we stared at the vast scene of cobalt sky and twinkling city lights around us, "I'm just not artistic."

"Artistic?" I asked, "What has that got to do with anything?"

"You know," Evan shrugged, "you have to be an artist to look at things that way."

"Evan," I said doubtfully, "I'm no artist."

"You are if you see things like that," he said simply

"Like what?" I asked still confused about what he was saying

"I dunno," he began, "just different I guess. But that's okay, as long as it makes you happy."

_Evan,_ I thought wistfully,_what a way of explaining things that no one else can._

I felt a sudden urge to hug him. No kissing, no, not then, just a hug. I threw my arms around him and he hugged me back.

"You think this is what the world is gonna look like for the rest of the year?" I asked pulling away from him to look at the view again

"Maybe," he said

We sat against the concrete ledge that rounds the perimeter of the roof. It must have been about two in the morning by then.

"You think we could just stay up here until morning and anyone would notice?" I said voicing yet another whimsical question.

"I don't think anyone would," he shrugged

"Violet and Klaus think I'm at Ellie's," I said and couldn't help a small laugh

"My parent's are out and my sister's at a sleep over so no, no one would know," he looked up at the star-scattered sky, "but I should be getting home soon anyway."

"Do you know what time it is?" I meant to ask, but a yawn obscured my question

"Huh?" he asked sitting up straight against the ledge. But my question was never answered because I heard another set of voices coming up the metal stairs of the fire escape.

"Oh no," I mumbled and turned to Evan, "someone's coming, c'mon."

We rushed towards the chimney, the only thing we would be able to hide behind.

"You have to see this view," one of the voices was saying, "it's incredible."

"Someone agrees with me," I smiled at Evan. But my smile soon faded as I recognized the people coming up the stairs.

"Oh, not them again," I sighed, "when they're busy making out or whatever, we'll sneak out of here."

"How long is this going to be?" he asked

"How am I supposed to know?" I retorted, "Not too long though, considering how eager Duncan probably is to make out."

Of course, I was exaggerating, but the two did turn away from the stairs to take in the view, holding hands I might add, while Evan and I escaped soundlessly. Well, almost soundlessly. I, again showed my superior grace and agility, and tripped over the second step down on the fire escape. This sent me stumbling down a few stairs, and this time, I was unfortunately unable to hold in a scream. And, as my luck would have it, Duncan and his friend heard it. Duncan shot a look towards the stairs and saw what must have been Evan helping me up.

"Who's there?" he asked sounding angry and a bit uneasy. We could have run, but really, what's the point? I stood up in a ray of moonlight and it was obvious by Duncan's befuddled expression that he recognized me. Or, you know, Duncan always looks a little confused and it could have been the moonlight exaggerating his features. But it wasn't.

"Sunny?" he asked. He didn't sound angry, then, more like…concerned.

"Yeah," I said holding out my hands in case he wanted to cuff me

"What're- who's…what's going on?" he stuttered

"It's nothing," I said hastily, "I just wanted to show Evan the view."

"Right," said Duncan his tone heavy with doubt

"Really," I said earnestly, "besides, what're you doing here in the first place?"

"None of your business," he said immaturely, "unless you tell me what _you're_ doing here."

I pursed my lips together, something I noticed, that I got from Violet whenever she's thinking hard or upset.

"Fine," I sighed. It was a lot easier to just get it over with now. It wasn't like he could really punish me, well, without having to explain what he was doing on the roof himself. _Thinking_? No one would believe him.

"I was spying. Not on you though, on Klaus, well I thought you were going to be Klaus. You see I read your notes from the beginning, almost the beginning anyway, so I was curious and I thought I saw Klaus putting a note in that tree so I thought he was the one writing the letters and then Finn invited me to his party and Ellie was mad, but I still went, except I had to find out who was meeting Klaus here, but you're not Klaus, and Evan followed me and my shoes hurt but eventually I found out what I wanted to know so Evan and I were on the roof and then you two came up and now we're both up here and that's my story." I took a deep breath as they stared at me, "Now, what are _you _doing here?"

"Are you mental?" was Duncan's response to my speech, "I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. Not after that."

"Who's she?" I asked ignoring him

"You know her," Duncan said

"No I don't believe we've met," I said mock- politely

"Of course you have," he said, "and you remember her. Your brother probably does more than you though."

And suddenly it hit me. And believe me, I wasn't sure how to react to this one.

"Fiona?" I said doubtfully looking from her to Duncan and back

"Nice to see you," she said politely holding out her hand

Fiona. The very one who betrayed us. And she and Duncan were an…item. Things were getting weirder every minute. If Fiona Widdershins could calmly introduce herself and offer me her hand while she holds Duncan's with the other, than the world as we know it is unquestionably ending. Of course I didn't let my feelings show. Much.

I ignored her extended hand as I stared in awe.

"What're- when did- _Fiona_?" I stuttered pathetically

"Fiona Widdershins, you remember," Duncan insisted

"Yes I remember," I said quickly

"It's very nice to see you," she said

"Um, yeah," I began, "except you betrayed us. You broke poor Klaus's heart. You don't care about us."

Harsh, I know. But I was shocked and upset. Duncan was annoying but I wasn't going to let Fiona break another heart. I mean, I'm not completely heartless.

"Duncan, don't you remember?" I said weakly

"Yes, I remember," he said stubbornly, "but Fiona's changed. Really."

"I have, honest," she said solemnly

"Really?" I sighed skeptically, "ok then. Not my funeral. I'm going to bed. C'mon Evan."

"Um," he said to Duncan and Fiona, "nice to meet you."

I jerked him away with me. I didn't dare look back.

"She's that girl," Evan said when they were out of earshot, "the one from the book."

"Thank you," I said stopping to stare at him as we reached the bottom of the steps of the fire escape, "because I didn't know that."

"Was that sarcasm?" Evan asked uncertainly

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

We reached the mansion's stoop. I had no idea what I was going to say about getting home at that hour, but I didn't really think about that. I fumbled for the spare key I kept with me.

"So," Evan said as I found the key but hesitated to go inside, "Um, I guess I'll see you. Tomorrow maybe?"

"Yeah," I smiled staring up at him, "maybe tomorrow. I'll call you, okay?"

"Sure," he said and sighed. I could see his breath fogging the cold air, "Bye, Sunny."

"Bye," I said going up the stoop and stopping again before opening the door, "Wait, Evan?"

He was making his way home already. The walk was going to lonely, I thought. And this was the first time in a long time that we had said goodbye without a kiss.

"Yeah?" he turned around. I walked slowly, but determinedly toward him. After a single kiss I wrapped my arms gently around him and whispered a second goodbye.

Now maybe, he wouldn't feel so lonely walking home.

I walked back to the door and this time I went inside. I yawned widely and headed up the stairs. Even though I was more tired than I had been in a long time, I had a feeling I wasn't going to be falling asleep right away. Not with this much on my mind. After thinking about Evan, and how much I had wanted to tell him that I loved him before he left, and if it really was love in the first place, and about how bizarre it was that Fiona had been on my roof not to long before, and about the new year, and the fact that I was going to start fresh, I finally settled down.

I glanced at my desk on which the moonlight glinted off the spyglass placed along side my lip gloss and CD collection. I realized the sweet irony of that; it was probably the last place someone who had read the _Unfortunate Events_ would expect the spyglass to be. They probably didn't expect it to be real at all. They probably didn't think _I_ would be real. They, of course were sadly mistaken. Because I am Sunny Baudelaire: modern, everyday, and not particularly fashionably inept, thirteen year old. Not exactly the buck-toothed prodigy I was expected to be. I guess that's okay. For right now, my life isn't terribly unfortunate and a new year could only mean it could get better. Okay, not really. But I was humoring myself with that thought before finally drifting off. One must be well rested for a brand new, sunny year.

**Phew! Half-way point for this story! I hope everyone likes it so far. The next half will have a soort of different plot with new characters and some that come back. Two people (well one of them is a person...) change their names, Sunny tries to keep herself from liking any other guys besides Evan, and tons of other things happen. But before any of that another camp for Sunny and this one doesn't involve dancing and even before that you, dear reader, are most obliged to review. So get your butt over there and tell me what you think! Thanks.** **Stay lovely.**


	9. Sunny, This Is Urgent

**Let's get these teen hearts beating faster, faster. Chapter nine is doing fine.**

If anybody was expecting anything of me, they were always wrong. I know when most people think "Sunny Baudelaire", they don't exactly picture me as I am at thirteen. Which is a normal looking girl. There's nothing unusual about my face. My teeth are of normal shape and size, I'm pretty short for my age, I have curly light brown hair, hazel-ish eyes: pretty much an average thirteen year old girl. And that was the problem I was facing in early February.

The fact that I am "plain-looking" becomes especially pressing when I am inadvertently compared to my sister. Violet is tall, graceful, with pale skin and dark, chestnut hair always tied back in that idiosyncratic ribbon. I eyed her expressions as she spoke, with a mix of admiration and jealousy.

"So then," Violet continued expressively, "he got on one knee and gave me this box. Like the kind that holds rings…"

"And he proposed?" Isadora asked eagerly, "Just like that? That's a bit boring-"

"Let me finish," Violet said, "It wasn't a ring-"

"What?" I interrupted, becoming too intrigued by the retelling of the previous nights events to care much about either one of our appearances, "So he didn't propose?"

"Just listen," Violet said calmly, "It was a key. About this big"-she held up her fingers about two centimeters apart- "and I was… confused, and disappointed because it wasn't what I had expected. But he told me that it was to his heart, which is, you know, corny, until then I realized what he meant..."

She reached into her dress pocket and pulled out a necklace- her necklace, the one Quigley gave her on her sixteenth birthday, and a small gold key.

"This is not just a necklace," Violet continued, "It's a locket."

Isadora and I leaned forward across the kitchen table to get a closer look as Violet gently turned the minuscule key and pried open the locket. Etched on the inside of the shiny, metal charm was the words, "Will you marry me?".

"That's much more Quigley-like than a normal proposal," Isadora said sounding satisfied.

"What'd you say?" I asked looking at Violet expectantly

"Yes, of course!" she said smiling, "You think I could say no to that?"

"Of course not,"

Neither Isadora nor I had answered. We turned to face the voice that had said it. Quigley sauntered into the room and the next thing I knew Violet was in his arms. After their kissing, to which I presently turned away from, Violet pulled away from Quigley.

"We're planning on having the wedding this summer," she announced

"That soon, huh?" Isadora said examining her short fingernails

"Well June," Violet settled, "that's a little less than five months from now."

"You're going to be busy," Isadora said sympathetically

"Yes," Violet agreed sitting back down at the table and listing on her fingers, "We have to pick a date, figure a budget-"

"Budget?" Isadora asked, "you've barely made a dent in this fortune you have. I'd forget about a budget if I were you…"

I left Isadora and Violet arguing about spending money. I receded to my room and threw a shirt into the duffel bag I was taking to the mountains. The packing process was slow but I still had a few weeks before we left. I picked up the phone, deciding to call someone. Anyone. My fingers automatically dialed Evan's number. It rang about ten times before I hung up. Evan always answered his phone. Well almost always. I heard a tap against my window but ignored it until it came again. I walked over to the window, opened the glass, and pushed aside the screen.

"Ever heard of a doorbell?" I called down to Evan

"Yeah, but your brother scares me and I like throwing things anyway. Let's go somewhere," he said grinning

"I'll be right down," I smiled

And I was. I practically sprinted down the stairs. But it wasn't going to be that easy.

"Hey," I said interrupting a conversation between Violet, Isadora, and Quigley, "I'm going somewhere with Evan."

"Where?" was the first question from Violet

"You still going out with that kid?" was the second from Isadora, and "Who?" from Quigley

"I don't know where we're going, a walk maybe. Evan's my boyfriend, and we're still going out," I said answering all of their questions at once

"A walk?" Isadora said stopping me as I tapped the toe of my converse impatiently, "I was thirteen once, and a 'walk' is not just that."

"Can I go now?" I asked ignoring Isadora's comment.

"Go," Violet said, "be back by six and stay close."

"No kissing!" Isadora called as I slid down the hallway towards the door.

"That's not going to happen, Izzy," I heard Violet say.

"Hey," I said to Evan when I was finally outside, "long time, no see."

"Too long," He replied

"Only two days," I laughed

"Too long," Evan repeated

"Sweet," I said smiling, "but where are we going to go?"

"Dunno," he shrugged, taking my hand, "where do you want to go?"

"What's with the sudden romance?" I asked

"What do you mean?" he asked, "I can't be nice to you?"

"No," I said uncertainly, "Never mind, then. I have no idea where I want to go. We don't have many choices, considering we don't have a car…or a license. Why don't we just walk for now? The harbor maybe?"

"Fine with me," Evan said, "harbor it is."

We walked, holding hands, to the harbor. It was quiet on that Sunday, and soft breaths of spring would warm the cool February air. It was midday, about two o'clock, and the sun was high.

"Let's call that one Peter," I said pointing at a sea lion resting on a rock near the wharf. Evan and I had taken the pointless duty of naming every sea lion we saw. Which was quite a few, "You name one."

"That pretty one," he smiled pointing at one of them, "her name's Sunny."

"C'mon that's stupid," I said standing on the lowest rung of the wooden rail that edged the dock, "How do know it's a girl? Besides if your going to name an animal after me make it a nice looking one."

"I don't have much of a choice, unless you want your name on a seagull, or a fish…or a rat." He explained dolefully.

"I'll take the sea lion," I settled and turned back to the mounds of sea lions, "Let's go somewhere else."

We inhabited one corner of the pier where you could see a small island close to the shore and inlets of sand, one of them being Briny Beach.

"I don't ever want to leave this place?"

"What place?" Evan asked, tearing his emerald eyes from the view to meet mine

"Here," I elaborated, "this city. These streets. You."

"You never have to," he reminded me with a tender grin

"I know," I sighed, "at least I think I know, you never really can."

"True," he agreed with a shrug and stared back out at the glinting ocean. He looked at me curiously, "you know what?'

"Hm?" I asked watching a crab scurry in between the damp rocks below us, unprepared for what was next.

"I don't think I've ever told you how..." he began, "how pretty you are."

My face was overpowered with one blush after another. No one had ever told me anything like that. I moved my face which felt like it must have been bright red, away from him. It was not only the fact that I wasn't used to hearing that, but it was also the plain fact that he was saying that at all. Those were not words that usually came out of the mouth of a near-thirteen-year-old boy. I guess that's one of the things that had me fallen for him.

"Thanks" I said quietly, almost acually considering letting the "L" word slip. But, for about the billionth time now, I chickened out.

We watched the sunset silently. As far as my insecurities about my looks, it all vanished. Evan could make me feel that way and I loved him for it.

When I finally got home I got to thinking. My relationship with Evan was literally taking over my life.I needed something to take my mind off him, to focus on. It wasn't that I didn't want him anymore, just needed to become less obsessive. I couldn't really expect to be with him forever, to marry him someday. The thought of that sent my heart beating faster. Maybe it could happen. Maybe...

**Sooo...Chapter nine. Finally, right? Okay, I lied a bit. It's March and I know you heard me saying it'd be up by mid-Feburary...but I've got a life to live. Sunny's gonna have to wait. Heh heh...I love using referances to bands and songs and stuff... I wonder how many people actually catch it...hmmm...**


	10. I Think We Have an Emergency

**Oh Em Gee! Everyone probably thought I died or fell down an exceptionally large pothole. But I didn't. I was just being lazy. So if any of you have remained so loyal that you are still reading at this point, ups to you. I proudly ( or at least mildly entusiastically) present: Chapter Ten...**

The entire school was alert on the morning of March 7th, eager for a new face. News in a middle school spread a whole lot faster than a wildfire. Whispers between friends could be heard all day. He was supposed to be tall. He was supposed to be quite handsome. And he was supposed to have the bluest eyes our little city had ever seen. But of course, it didn't matter much to me, since I had Evan. It didn't matter _much_. There was still a sense of curiosity and it lasted all day, until fifth period at least. Math was exceptionally boring, but I wrote down notes on the Pythagorean Theorem anyway. After about ten minutes, though it seemed much longer, Mr. Julius came in the room with a kid who immediately made the room a bit hotter. I tried not to gawk as our principle introduced him as Ryan McDowell. My math teacher instructed him to take any empty seat. I looked at the empty desk beside me and shoved away some of my stuff that had over flowed onto it, so he would know the seat was empty. I sat primly and tried to catch his blue eyes, even more remarkably blue than I had expected. I soon realized with a happiness that crashed over me that my desk was the only empty one and grew stiff as he walked toward me. He smiled a perfect smile and took his seat. I wasn't expecting him to talk to me.

"What are we doing?" he whispered leaning in and pushing his light brown hair out of his eyes. I didn't really see the point of this since his hair covered one blue eye anyway. That was supposed to mess with your depth perception or something, but he was cute so it hardly mattered.

"Pigoruem thingy," I said

"Oh," he laughed, "I get it."

"Well I can't pronounce that," I said laughing.

"You two, save the flirting for after class." Mr. Ivan barked and we were silent.

Oh crap. What on earth was I doing? He wasn't Evan. I was hypnotized by those gems he had for eyes, that was it. I still liked Evan, no doubt about that. But Ryan…I simply couldn't help myself. I decided just to not look at him. I couldn't ever like anyone except Evan. Well eventually, but not now. I forced Ryan out of my head. Now if only I could force him out of that seat so close to me. Yeah, not happening. So Ryan's why math sucked for the next few days, and it only got worse.

Evan was having his thirteenth birthday party that Friday. I cringed a bit when he told me Ryan was coming. That was the last thing I needed. More Ryan. But I didn't want to ruin Evan's party, so I didn't say anything. So I focused my thoughts on a gift. It had to be something great. But that just made it harder. Boys are so hard to shop for. And, to add to the craziness, that Thursday it was annual Spring cleaning of the Baudelaire mansion. I had the attic. Dust, spiders, cobwebs, probably rats, and a few more of your favorite things, all residing in the attic.

A single strand of light put a dusty spotlight on a few old cardboard boxes. I started with the boxes, coughing as I moved one aside. Its contents clashed and clanged together. I opened the stiff cardboard flaps with an explosion of dust. Inside, the dusty objects glinted in the stream of light: a small framed mirror, a gold painted trinket box, and a round make-up box, among other things. My mother's things, passed on from my grandmother, and great grandmother, and so on. I remembered seeing these small treasures before, a while ago. In a separate box, were more items: a worn football, a torn baseball glove, and an old, faded, sweatshirt. I tenderly pulled the sweatshirt from the box, my dad's varsity sweatshirt. It was faded blue, worn at the ribbed sleeves, and quite possibly the coolest old thing I had ever seen. The school's name was appliquéd in what used to white letters, right above the year. So, it was very old. I looked up from the sweatshirt, and went back to reality. Stupid Spring cleaning. I put some boxes in order, and rushed down the huge spiral staircase, clutching the sweatshirt.

I hurried into the kitchen, my socks sliding me to a stop across the hardwood floor.

"Hey, what's this?" I asked Violet who was sweeping the kitchen floor. She stopped, looking me up and down. I must have looked horribly dusty, but it didn't bother me much at the time.

"Are you done already?" she asked, sounding surprised.

I shook my head honestly, "But I found this…"

"Dad's varsity sweatshirt, what about it?" she asked, resuming her sweeping.

"Um, can I have it?" I asked tentatively

"Sure," Violet shrugged, "it's not doing any good in the attic. You know what the funny thing is? He never spoke much of his high school varsity days. Dad wasn't really ever into sports."

I had an idea.

"Would it be horribly disrespectful if I gave it to someone? As a gift, I mean…" I questioned.

"Depends on who you plan on giving it to,"

I blushed for some odd reason. "Evan." I said almost inaudibly.

"I guess that's okay. Just tell him that why it's so important." Violet and I were quiet for a second.

For some reason, the thought of Evan filled me with butterflies the way it did when we first started going out. Its sounds awfully corny, but in a way I was falling for him all over again. I tried sneaking away to wrap Evan's gift, hoping Violet had forgot about me not being done with the attic and all.

"Oh, and Sunny?" she called from the kitchen

"Yes?" I asked crossing my fingers

"Finish cleaning the attic," my hopes were dashed. I headed up the stairs, cursing to myself.

**Short but sweet. Enjoy it while you can. Next chapter: Evan's b-day, mistakes, and a sad looking cake. You'll see. Is anyone else as pumped for Warped Tour as me? Probably not...Aw, well.**


	11. Joke Me Something Awful

**Yo peeps. We're already at chapter 11. Well, its been a while. This is a pretty intense chapter. It's both intense and hardcore. I don't know if you can handle it. You might want to stop here and pretend like things don't change, but they still do.**

Ryan smelled like peppermint. It was a clear scent coming off his clothes and skin. Now, I'm not so allergic to peppermint that just the scent makes me have a reaction. Well, that's not true. I had a reaction, just not an _allergic_ reaction. It was like the forbidden fruit. There he was, smelling so sweet and looking so cool, and I couldn't have a bit of it. It'd surely mean nothing but trouble for me. Just like peppermint.

In the few days Ryan had been at my school, the girls had been flocking around him. It made me feel less freakish about the tiny, little, teensy, weensy crush I had on him. The guys had been alert to his girl appeal, and quickly called him their friend. Ryan was the one factor that had the whole school turned. I was beginning to feel like less of a fictional character.

Despite all of the attention revolving around Ryan, I stayed one hundred percent true to Evan. I never flirted more than necessary or anything. Evan was still mine, and I planned to keep it that way.

"Stupid cake," I muttered, glancing at the clock. I poked it again; still warm. I had ten minutes before I had to be at Evan's and his cake wasn't frosted yet. I gave up on the age old rule of waiting for the cake to cool before frosting and slapped a spoonful on. When it was covered with frosting I put it on a plate.

"Violet or someone," I called in the large entry way of the mansion, "I need a ride right now."  
"Right now?" Klaus said coming from, where else, the library, "Can't you walk?"

"Considering I have to carry this cake and his present? No." I said

"I'll take you," Klaus sighed.

"I'm sorry I ruined your evening," I said dryly. Klaus ignored me and went outside.

During the short ride to Evan's, I was consumed by the CD I had brought into Klaus's car. I could tell he didn't like my music, but it didn't matter much to me. I said thanks to him once we pulled in front of Evan's house. I could hear music coming from th house. I went around to the back of the car to get the cake.

"Ew." I said, looking at the cake. The frosting had melted off the actual cake and fell on the plate in a gloppy, gross mess.

"Grossky," I mumbled, gingerly taking the plate and Evan's present in my hands, "Looks delicious, right?"

I was at Klaus's window, showing him the sad looking cake. He laughed.

"That's sad, Sunny," he said, "I'll see you later."

Isaid bye and he pulled away, leaving me with the melted cake and wrapped present. I went to the door, finding I had no free hand to knock with. I pressed my shoulder against the doorbell.

"I'm sorry," Evan said when he answered the door, "I don't think you were invited."

"I'm pretty sure I was," I replied

"Umm, nope," Evan reassured me, "but I like you so you can come in."

He stepped aside so I could some in. There was a medium sized crowd of people already in the house. I quickly got my hands free, and gave Evan an extra big birthday hug. He kissed me just below my jaw and I giggled. "I messed up with your cake," I admitted, "it melted."

"Yum," Evan said, kissing me again. I was relieved that he didn't care.

"Sunny!" a voice said and I took my eyes off of Evan's. My eyes met with the icy blues of none other than Ryan McDowell.

"Hi Ryan," I said quietly

"Your boy's a man now," Ryan said gesturing at Evan

"I know," I smiled, trying not to look at Ryan, with Evan's hands in mine. I locked my gaze on Evan and his cucumber green eyes.

"Bella," Ryan said as a girl from my Science class walked past. She turned and flirted with him, as I moved away from them.

About an hour into the party, when everyone had come and settled, I met up with Ryan again. I was occupied with getting more punch when he sauntered over.

"You happy for your man?" he asked with a glint in his baby blue eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I said, sipping the punch casually.

"No reason," Ryan shrugged and smiled. I eyed him and let myself smile. I shouldn't have, but I did.

"You look so good in blue," he said looking me up and down.

"Um," I blushed and tried to hide it, "thanks, but..."

"Just take the compliment," he said smoothly, "I could say more."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, because I really did want to know.

"I could spend hours complimenting you, that's what I mean," Ryan grinned. I wished I hadn't asked.

"Well," I began, "I could say a few things about you."

"Like what?" Ryan's eyes changed my mind. He came closer. The scent of peppermint radiated off of him, making me want him closer. But, keeping in control, I back against the door that led to the kitchen behind me.

"Nothing in particular," I said, wanting to close my eyes, so I couldn't see Ryan in all his handsomeness standing before me.

"Just tell me," he encouraged, "I can take it. Tell me what you think of me."

"I think you are nothing but a big problem," I breathed.

"Nothing but a big problem?" he repeated, "you haven't made thing much easier for me."

"I haven't done anything," I insisted

"And that's the problem," he said solemnly with a sudden grin, "So I guess I'll have to take matters into my own hands."

He came closer and I pressed up against the swinging kitchen door even more. Under my pressure, it opened inward. I stumbled back. Ryan came closer with a blazing look in his eyes.

"Ryan," I said but that was all I could manage. The kitchen was empty and Ryan was coming closer yet. I looked up at his bright blue eyes under long eyelashes.

"Don't move," he said, forming his hands like manacles around my wrists. I listened, but not on my own will. Before I could regain consciousness, he pressed his full lips to mine. In a struggle, I back against a cabinet. He kissed me greedily, still holding my wrists. I pulled back and breathed heavily.

"What…" I breathed, but before I could finish, Ryan had his lips on mine again. He had pinned me to the cabinet, as he tried to get more out of me. He pulled away, breathing hard.

"We're young," Ryan's voice was ragged, "You can't stay true to someone forever at thirteen. Let me have my chance."

Again he was kissing me. I was tired from fighting, so I gave in. I really shouldn't have, but I did. I relaxed and let him suck the breath out of me. I had to admit he was good at this, and Evan had never kissed me like that. Evan…

"Sunny," a voice called, "I wanted to say thanks for…"

The kitchen door had swung open. Ryan and I separated. Evan stood in the entry with the sweatshirt I had given him. He looked stunned. He pushed his dark hair out of his eyes in confusion.

"Evan, no," I said weakly

"Sunny…" he mumbled, "What did you do?"

"Isn't it a little obvious," Ryan joked.

"I hate you," I spat the words at Ryan, "it's your fault. Evan, I can explain what you saw."

"I think I know what I saw," Evan said. His voice was pained and angry.

"No, it's all wrong," I panicked, "Ryan trapped me…."

"It _is_ all wrong," Evan said, "you've ruined everything."

With that, Evan dropped the sweatshirt and left, giving me one last look that killed me from the inside out.

"No," my voice cracked and there was a lump in my throat that dared my eyes to water. I gave in and cried.

"He's a sensitive little guy," Ryan said

"I hate you," I repeated, "Evan was right. I ruined everything. _You_ ruined everything."

"I was just trying to have a little fun," Ryan shrugged.

"Fun," I said, fuming and teary, "Why would you try anything when you knew about Evan...and in his house. On his birthday."

"Sunny," Ryan said cupping my face in his large hands. I knocked his arm away from me.

"Don't touch me," I growled, "I have to go."

I left the kitchen and walked out of the house. The sky was a cobalt blue. It would have been beautiful if the world hadn't been ending.

I considered finding Evan and explaining the whole thing, but I wasn't sure how to explain why I let Ryan kiss me. Because, despite what I wanted to believe, it wasn't all Ryan's fault. I gave in; I even kissed Ryan back a little. I felt horrible, and dirty. Like I needed to take a long shower and rinse Ryan's saliva out of my mouth. With my hands shoved in the warm pockets of my sweatshirt and my hood pulled over my head, I spat on to the ground. What I had I done? Seriously, this had to be the end. Evan would hate me now. He had every right to. I had made a mistake- a huge mistake, one I couldn't erase. I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and found that I was close to home. Usually at a time like this, I would call Evan, and he would give some comforting advice. I compulsively headed for the old oak tree. It was cold up there. I settled between two branches. I imagined what Evan would say if things were normal.

_It's not that big of a deal. Just apologize and he'll forgive you. It wasn't all your fault, anybody would have done the same thing in your position. _

I felt better for a minute, until the magnitude of what not having Evan meant. I was crying again. I wished I could go back. I wished things were normal. But no matter how hard I wished, nothing would happen. Evan could never forgive me. The sight of his face before he left kept reoccurring in my head. I remembered he had come in to thank me for the sweatshirt I had given him. I cried even harder. He had done absolutely nothing to me. I didn't deserve him in the first place.

Evan had helpshape me weather he knew it or not. He rearranged my life and everything in it. And someone that had been that much of a part of my life isn't someone you can just forget about. There was so much to think about. My head was filled and my heart was empty. I closed my watery eyes and leaned my head against a branch.

_It's not that big of a deal._

But it was. I knew someday it was all going to seem silly, but right then, Evan was a huge part of my life, and in all truth I loved him. Everything was perfect and I messed it all up.

I opened my eyes again and slowly watched the navy sky turn black. I saw the lights go off in the mansion and other houses. I didn't want to go back. Not right then at least. It amazed me how things could turn around so quickly. A crow flew and landed in the branches of the tree. I closed my eyes again as night closed in around me, trying hard to remember the last kiss Evan had given me.

**So, did I depress you? Sorry 'bout that. But, you know, we need some drama. You can expect four or fine more chapters from me, but don't expect them to come too fast. I try, but there's lots of other stuff to do. I like how this story has just about nothing to do with ASOUE. But, seriously I haven't been reading them or keeping up with anything. I started reading them in sixth grade and I don't really have the same interests as I did then. Oh well. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing this story. Gosh, I made this author's note way too long...**


	12. A Settling Aftermath

** Sooooo, anyone care about this anymore? Long time, no see...it's only been, what, two years? I actually had forgotten about this, until I recieved a few reviews. This chapter has been on my computer for a while, just waiting to be posted. So, um, here it is.**

I woke feeling numb. I could tell from the light shining through the branches that it was warm but I felt nothing. With no clear memory of the night before, the realizations were at bay. At least until I fully awoke, then the feelings of disgust and self- loathing all returned. But I didn't cry, I wanted to, but I couldn't quite summon the feeling. All the emotions felt distant, as if I had read them in a book.

I slowly climbed down from the oak tree, wanting desperately to leave those feelings behind and hoping that they would bind themselves to the tree. But they followed me, all the way up the marble stoop in front of the mansion, where I paused before opening the door. I wanted to go in with no alarm. I wanted to avoid the inevitable inquiry about the night before and why I had not checked in.

This however, proved to be wishful thinking. I heard voices as soon as I opened the door, before Violet came rushing at me, asking where I had been and why I had a leaf in my hair. She was followed quickly by Klaus, Quigley, Isadora, and Duncan, all dressed and done up already. They watched uncomfortably as Violet scolded me.

"What are you thinking, staying out so late without a single phone call? I hope to God you were at Ellie's. Please don't tell me you were with Evan. Sunny, how dare you sneak around behind our backs."

"I wasn't with Evan, okay?" I said, surprised at my own ability to speak, "and if anyone should be getting crap about sneaking around, it should be Duncan."

I wasn't sure why I had chosen to turn the attention to Duncan. Maybe it was because he was watching so smugly or maybe because he was the person I least liked in the house and in turn, to whom I channeled most of my anger.

"What are you talking about?" Isadora said, frightened.

"Duncan," I confirmed, "Duncan, the one whose been secretly meeting with, guess who, our favorite traitor, Fiona."

"Sunny…" Duncan said helplessly. I really should have felt bad, and I know I did well after this, but for the moment it felt so good.

"Sunny," Violet said, her voice sharp and cold, "don't try to take the attention away from you right now. What Duncan does is none of your business. I want you to go to your room and wait for me and Klaus."

I was shocked at her tone and nodded, "Please, though, can I just talk to you about this?"

Violet's voice softened, "Okay," she said solemnly.

I waited, my feet dangling over the edge of my bed. I dreaded having to tell Violet everything, but hoped she would forgive me about not calling.

She opened the door softly, closing it and sitting next to me on the bed.

"Sunny," she said, looking me straight in the eyes, "I want you to tell me what happened last night."

I took a deep breath, before relaying the entire evening to her, ending tearfully with "and that's why I had a leaf in my hair."

She hugged me tight and I felt surprisingly better, though I was still crying. I felt so young at that moment. I was very young, but I felt so childish and dependent, clutching onto her.

"You know," she said, and I knew some profound advice was coming my way, "he hasn't gone forever. And I'm sure if you explained everything honestly to him, he'd forgive you in time. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that we have to appreciate people while they're still here with us and forget all the small things that pull us apart."

I looked at her with a small smile and she kissed my forehead.

"Thanks for listening to me," I said, "I know it must sound like nothing to you, me going on about my teenage angst and what not."

"No, not really,"she said, "anything that can make my baby sister cry like this can't be nothing."

"I'm not a baby," I said, laughing through the tears and she smiled as she tucked a loose piece of hair behind my ears

"I think I'm okay now," I said, "I'll talk to Evan soon."

"Good luck and remember that we all love you very much. Klaus, the Quagmires, and I, we care about you. Don't ever forget that."

"I know, thanks for talking to me."

And with that, I was alone in my room again. I felt better. All the troubles with Evan seemed so small when compared with the challenges I had faced before, that my siblings had faced along with me.

Content and calm, I fell asleep, curled in the center of my bed.

I woke some immeasurable time later. The house was quiet for the most part aside from the sound of a few voices intermingled with the city noises outside.

I got out of bed, humming to myself as I walked down the hall. As I neared the stair case, I heard a voice from the other side of the closed door to the library, Duncan's voice in the midst of a one sided conversation. He was on the phone. I heard my name and quietly listened, pressing my ear against the large wooden door.

"I really thought the Baudelaires were going to find out today, Sunny, the youngest one, I thought she was going to say everything right there…yeah, I know, I will eventually…Isadora knows…I just don't know how they're going to take it, they're kind of…old fashion…yeah, well sure…okay, I love you…bye."

My eyes widened. He was talking to Fiona. How dare he talk to her in our home? And Isadora knew as well? When she knew what Fiona had done. Lost in the questions running through my head I forgot to move from the doorway. Duncan opened it, a puzzled look on his face.

"Sunny…what are you doing?"

"Oh, uh…nothing?" I offered helplessly. Then, quickly realizing I wasn't the one at fault I changed my tone.

"What are _you _doing? Who were you talking to?"

"It doesn't involve you," he said shortly

"Yes it does, you said my name, you said 'Sunny almost outed me today, oh Fiona, what am I going to do. I love you so, but you're a traitor. Oh, woe is me.'

"Sunny, you don't even know," he struggled.

"I'm telling them," I said decidedly, "KLAUS! VI-"

Duncan placed his hands over my mouth. I struggled and bit his hand causing him to let me free. I smiled at my success, and prepared to yell again.

"Sunny stop." He said sternly, his face taking on an expression I had never seen before. I sobered up and looked at him, shocked by the suddenly serious atmosphere. He winced as if what he was about to say was causing him pain.

"I wasn't talking to Fiona."

**This was written about a year ago, so the writing style is more or less the same as it was in the previous chapters. However, I have nothing wrtten up to this point. I plan on finishing this, but please forgive me if the style changes or if I don't get the facts right. Thank you and, as always, let me know what you think.**


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